News: Easyjet founder says no to budget transatlantic flights

Flights > News > # 1539 (22/10/2007)

The man behind Britain’s largest budget airline says he has no intention taking advantage of the Open Skies agreement on transatlantic flights.
Easyjet founder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, told The Associated Press news agency that his airline would not deviate from its current business model of cheap short-haul flights.
The Open Skies deal, which comes into effect from the end of March 2008, abolishes limitations on transatlantic flights, allowing airlines to fly from anywhere in the European Union to any destination in the United States.
Despite this lifting of restrictions, Haji-Ioannou said Easyjet had no plans to expand beyond short-haul flights. He said: “Why go long-haul? There are so many other cities in Europe you can fly from.
"I'm very skeptical about either 100 percent low-cost airlines or 100 percent business-class airlines going long-haul.
“The current business model of British Airways, Air France or Lufthansa, where they have three classes of service, is probably more optimum."
However, the boss of Easyjet’s main rival, Ryanair, is keen to see the cheap flights revolution hit the transatlantic market. Earlier this year Ryanair chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said he was interested in launching a separate transatlantic airline by the end of the decade, offering pre-tax fares from as little as $12 (£6) each way.

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