EasyJet has put 32 summer routes operated by GB Airways on sale on its website easyJet.com.
Sixteen of these are new easyJet destinations, and taking the carrier”s total route count to 66 from Gatwick and six from Manchester ” where it has announced plans to open a base by 2010 and add two aircraft to the three operated there by GB Airways.
In October last year easyJet announced its intention to buy the Gatwick-based British Airways franchise operator, and hopes to complete the deal by the end of January.
GB Airways will continue to operate all routes under the BA brand until 29 March, but BA has terminated all sales for flights after that. With a code-sharing agreement in place, easyJet is now selling the routes on its own website.
Although these are largely aimed at tourists, an easyJet spokeswoman told ABTN the possibility is there for growth on business routes: ”Our acquisition of GB Airways means that we are able to grow at Gatwick, which is a key business hub, plus build a new hub at Manchester,” she said.
”Our strategy is to increase our number of business travellers, which currently account for around 20% of our passengers. We want to further improve that, and things like online check-in are being rolled out, plus our ”Hop on an earlier flight for free” policy, where passengers can get on an earlier flight on their return journey if they arrive at the airport early enough.”
In November easyJet announced a deal with Galileo and Amadeus that will enable the corporate travel market to access the airline”s flights within preferred GDS environments, making it the first European budget carrier to offer the facility for business passengers.