easyJet expecting further Manchester growth
NO-frills airline easyJet is expecting to continue its rapid recent growth at Manchester Airport, and is confident its switch to allocated seating will woo more business travellers.
UK commercial manager Ali Gayward told TheBusinessDesk.com that from next February its operations from Manchester – which it has served for just four years – will be on a par with Liverpool John Lennon, where it has had a base since 1997.
She said: “We always knew Manchester’s potential, so the growth here does not surprise us at all. I am sure before much longer it will be bigger than Liverpool, but it is a bigger city and has a much larger catchment area, across to Yorkshire and down to Stafford, and of course corporate infrastructure.
“Manchester is the second-largest aviation market in the UK and there remains a huge opportunity for us here.”
Manchester’s growth would not come at the expense of Liverpool, she stressed: “We have just flown our 30 millionth passenger there, so it remains a strategically important airport for easyJet, which as the country’s largest airline wants to grow its presence everywhere.
“Our biggest challenge is getting the balance right between the leisure market and the city destinations for business travellers.”
She said the launch two years ago of a flexible business ticket for corporate customers had been a success with businesses looking to cut costs.
A small corporate sales team was been set up in the region last year to woo customers direct as well as attract the business travel agents.”
The top destinations for business traffic from the North West are Geneva, Belfast, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin and Madrid, she said.
Mrs Gayward said the launch of allocated seating by easyJet on November 27 is a “massive move” for the airline, and is being introduced in response to passenger feedback.
“We are very excited, it’s a big change for us, but what our customers want is so important.”
Next month sees the launch of the airline’s first Manchester-Tel Aviv flights, a move which is proving very popular with the large Jewish community in the North West.
“We knew demand would be there because of the numbers of passengers from the North West who were travelling to Luton to fly with us to Tel Aviv. We’re very pleased with how forward sales are looking.”
