GB Airways taken over by Easyjet

jetboy

One thing to bear in mind about possibly trying to rebook on the same flight under Easyjet is this:
Although I admire the ingenuity and hopefully there may be some scope for this, you need to remember that the seat prices reflect the number of seats booked on each service. Therefore, if the aircraft is already half full of ex BA passengers when it goes on sale under Easyjet, the fares released should also reflect the fact that their aircraft is already reasonably booked and thus the bargains may not be forthcoming.
On other fronts I don't think there will be much in the way of major schedule changes particularly to the Canaries where GB will have airport slots to honour. To those expecting meals when Easy take over, I'd be highly surprised if that was to happen. Catering contracts are a complex affair and I would assume that Easy's own caterer at LGW will take over in April.

vickye_3

Now, i dont want to sound bitter, but until last month i was working for BA and it is entirely because of GB selling out to easyjet that i dont have a job anymore
I know that flights will carry on as BA until the summer schedule next year, when BA plan to launch a few of their own routes, but from what i know of GB i would be highly surprised if any of the perks like meals or speedy boarding will be included once they've left BA. For all anyone taking a GB flight will know, they're on easyjet with all the rules and regulations they as an airline come with. At the end of the day its probably much cheaper for GB to franchise with easyjet rather than BA for entirely these reasons.

richardw

Have you got another job?

bagand96

vickye wrote: »

For all anyone taking a GB flight will know, they're on easyjet with all the rules and regulations they as an airline come with. At the end of the day its probably much cheaper for GB to franchise with easyjet rather than BA for entirely these reasons.

GB Airways are not franchising with easyJet, they are selling their airline to easyJet, there will no longer be a GB Airways in any way shape, or form. Just a slightly enlarged easyJet. Sorry to hear about your job, never a good thing, hope you have luck securing new employment.


Rebooking with easyJet may be a good idea for people to save some cash, but as well as the points jetboy made, there are a couple of other considerations. Although many consider to have paid a 'premium' for the BA services, many BA/GB Airways flights were in fact incredibly competitive pricewise. They frequently undercut the charter airlines and on sometimes they even offered lower prices than the low cost airlines. Also there is the fact that many GB Airways flight are in the 4 hour plus market. easyJet simply won't be able to offer £20.99 one way fares on four hour routes, the numbers won't make sense.

I'm speculating now, but I expect the GB Airways summer 2008 programme will be flown by easyJet. I wouldn't even be surprised if the same aircraft and crews will fly them, so GB operate as a sub operation for summer 08. Of course all flights will be marketed as easyJet and only have easyJet service.

I think this because integrating one airline into another completely by March is a massive task, the end of the summer 08 programme (next October/November) is much more realistic. It will also give easyJet a very good chance to analyse all of GB's routes and do some big number crunching to see which routes will/will not work as an easyJet route.

richardw

I don't think they will do the full GB airways summer flights, simply because they have their own data and know what the demand is like on many routes such as LGW-MAHon, if the demand is low then they won't fly the routes.

Demand for many GB Airways flights is from tour operators, not sure if easyJet will want to offer special prices to tour operators.

easyJet's year end is 30th September so would expect a slightly different timetable from 1st October.

Re-configuring aircraft seats is an easy task, the 34" club class pitch will go fairly quickly.

easyJet integrated Go Fly ahead of schedule, the same may happen with GB Airways.

GH

Musicman wrote: »

Yes I am also waiting for news, and to see if my flights are still going to take off.

If they are, I will also look to see if I can book the flights again with Easyjet, and cancel my BA ones, if the Easyjet booking is cheaper, as I do not intend to pay top price for the low standards of Easyjet.

On what basis are you declaring that easyJet has low standards? Have you ever flown easyJet? If so , and you think the standards are low , why are you talking about rebooking?

jetboy

Yes I think the phraseology (hopefully) has been confused . Easyjet are top notch at what the do. The difference is the level of service provided. Safety standards, service delivery, maintenaince etc are all amongst the highest in the industry. The aircraft average fleet age is much better than its competitors too.
The only trimming of the GB schedule I would imagine would be on routes that both airlines currently serve. There are a few of these including MAH as mentioned earlier. AGP, ALC etc may also be in the frame. The EZY network is currently expanding into the Canaries from its European bases and as a result i have a feeling the UK- Canaries routes may be kept on in the long term.

richardw

jetboy wrote: »

The difference is the level of service provided.

What sort of differences are you thinking of?

jetboy

I'm mainly talking about the type of catering provided and whether it's free or not. The quality of catering provided on the Easy Kiosks is fine the main difference is paying for it. Ok so there's no inflight entertainment..but then most travellers these days are well ipod equipped. Just a pity the bosses can't wake up to the fact that allocated seating is they way forward. 'Speedy Boarding' is a very half-assed alternative.

ynot2005

speedy boarding does seem to be an expensive extra, just so you enter the cabin a few seconds before the rest, i prefer a sit anywhere approach as you can choose who you want to sit next to, or pick a seat where there is no-one next to you

lets face it everyone makes a desicion at the moment based on their preferences or predjudices and allocated seating removes that choice