Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2903 posts, RR: 1 Posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 3772 times:
I heard on BBC Three Counties radio (that covers Herts, Bed and Bucks) today that easyJet is trialling a scheme at Luton Airport for this week only where passengers can pay £10 extra to 10 passengers who check-in and these passengers can board the aircraft first before the rugby scrum occurs for all other passengers to get their seats on the flight.
easyJet claim this could be of particular interest to business travellers who want to disembark the aircraft at the other end quickly, by allowing them to pick an exit seat. I can't see this idea catching on but seems an interesting concept and a novel way for easyJet to create extra revenue in the cut throat world of European LCC.
This is something I am surpised Ryanair havn't thought up and easyJet make no mention of this on their website and I think they are trying to keep the trial "hush hush" to avoid public scrutiny.
Airplanepics From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2003, 2726 posts, RR: 45 Reply 2, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3547 times:
Why haven't FR thought of this? They are masters at charging for everything!
I rekon RyanAir will start charging at the door, by using a turnstyle - put in a £ and in you go!
SNATH From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 3234 posts, RR: 24 Reply 5, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3478 times:
Even though I don't fly LCCs, I can't see why they wouldn't actually adopt this scheme. It's extra money for them and I don't believe it would actually cost them anything. Good for them. But I still won't fly them.
Tony
Nikon: we don't want more pixels, we want better pixels.
Buckieboy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3446 times:
All,
If the extra revenue exceeds the cost to administrate and market, then EasyJet have succeded in my opinion.
Don't get me started on BA! However, I once flew ZRH to MAD with one of their alliance partners, Iberia, and because my travel profile lists a window seat, my view was whatever type of engine hangs off the back of an MD87.
A350 From Germany, joined Nov 2004, 1098 posts, RR: 23 Reply 7, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3443 times:
My only LCC experience so far is VolareWeb (SXF-HHN and back), and they had a system that the first 60 pax to check-in had the right to board first. Worked perfectly. I think FR had the same system at HHN. Does this exist anywhere else?
A350
Photography - the art of observing, not the art of arranging
Airplanepics From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2003, 2726 posts, RR: 45 Reply 8, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3420 times:
my view was whatever type of engine hangs off the back of an MD87.
Jmc757 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2000, 1296 posts, RR: 8 Reply 9, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 3406 times:
A350, many airlines use that scheme I think. MyTravelLite used to do it. They'd call boarding card numbers 1-60 first, then everyone else about 5 mins later. Worked quite well. However, MyTravelLite have now gone to the old methos of seat allocated at check-in. bmiBaby let you choose your seat when you book.... free!
At the end of the day if it works for easyJet then great!
Mika10021 From Greece, joined Jul 2004, 122 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 3336 times:
Let's how it works.If U2 has 27 mil. pax a year and 10% use this service that's 2700000 pax.
Multiple that by 10 and you have 27000000 pounds a year.
I don't know any company that would say no to that.
QantasffCL From Australia, joined Apr 2004, 86 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3145 times:
Buckieboy,
How can you blame British Airways for giving you a bad seat on another airlines. On BA's system they have window. Due to your oneworld preference Iberia has window on their system. You got your preference. Iberia do not have a list of bad seats that they dont give to oneworld members.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18883 posts, RR: 54 Reply 13, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3018 times:
Hmm... well, it has potential, but how will they ensure that these first 10 get onboard first? Will they just say 'those who have paid extra come forth' or what?
Isn't it odd how people say 'if it works for easyJet then great' and say 'Ryanair are just taking the mick' or whatever?
"Its funny to hear that businees men travel on Easy Jet !!!!"
A lot of businesspeople fly U2 and FR. Fewer certainly fly FR, but quite a number fly between DUB and major UK cities and vice-versa.
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Teva From France, joined Jan 2001, 1868 posts, RR: 17 Reply 15, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 2840 times:
stupid question: what happens if nobody wants to pay to be the first on board?
They don't board the aircraft????
In this case, consumer can win the battle easily. They just have to be united by refusing to pay.
Teva
Ecoute les orgues, Elles jouent pour toi...C'est le requiem pour un con
JumpJet From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 218 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 3 days ago) and read 2763 times:
I've flown with Easyjet several times in the past and the boarding experience has left a lot to be desired. Whilst I understood about the boarding policy before arriving at the airport (BRS) and to be fair Easyjet did try to get things right, it ended up as a complete shambles.
I was travelling with my wife and 2 small children. We were all waiting in the departure lounge when we were asked to board first as we had the children with us. We walked out and onto a waiting bus. Then, all hell broke loose as a 737s worth of passengers also clambered on board seconds behind us. When we arrived at the aircraft, it was like a scene from Titanic , every man for himself! What a complete waste of time it was trying to get us out first.
To be truthful it put seriously me off the LCCs that don't allocate seats at check in. Whilst it might be OK for adult able-bodied passengers, it was a disaster for families like ours with small children. We're booked to fly with Monarch Scheduled from LGW soon and the fare prices are excellent value. I booked on line, and was able to choose our seats at the same time without paying an extra cent. This was a much, much better arrangement than that adopted by Easyjet.
So in reality, as a member of the travelling public, I don't think that paying an extra £10 is too much of an imposition. In fact it might, it might just temp me back to Easyjet in the future, but I'm certainly going to be trying Monarch Scheduled first!.
EZYAirbus From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 2451 posts, RR: 53 Reply 19, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2199 times:
Well i dont seem to have any trouble boarding the aircraft, the fast track trial has finished now, not sure how succesful it was, to be honest i would of left the boarding system alone, worked fine without introducing this fast track bullshit.
Petazulu From United States of America, joined Jan 2003, 701 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2058 times:
the 'fast rtack bullsh!t" you refer to may yield millions in additional revenue. Sounds like gold, not bullsh!t.
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12365 posts, RR: 12 Reply 21, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1547 times:
To me the best policy would be, first, those passangers that need physical assistance, families with small (under 13 year old childern) and unaccompanied minors then then those whom payed the highest fares (mainly last minute business travelers) allowed onto the a/c first with non-assigned seating airliners. This could easlily be coded onto the bording pass from the ticket info. Those with the cheapest tickets would get on last. I know it may be a problem, but short of pre-assigned seating, with it's costs, this should be the policy, rather than add an additional fare/fee.
Buckieboy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (8 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1492 times:
QantasffCL,
You seem to have completely misunderstood my post (if so, please accept apologies for my poor communication skills), although you have also made some assumptions about myself.
The travel profile that I referred to rests with BTI in Basel. It is nothing whatsoever to do with oneworld. Whether I have a oneworld freqent flyer card (or not), I have no preference for oneworld- quite the opposite. If you care to read my other posts, I prefer LH and the Asian carriers when travelling to and within Asia and if paying my own money where times aren't critical, EasyJet over BA or Swiss when travelling to the UK.
The salient point again: faced with being sat next to a noisy eingine, some people would pay GBP 10 to avoid this. And now that EasyJet have both 737s and Airbus narrowbodies, we shouldn't rule out them acquiring MD87s in the future. Although unlikely, I do admit.
Life is too short to argue with people on the internet.
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