Low cost carrier Easyjet is considering dropping its fees for bookings made via a global distribution system (GDS).
It currently charges £3.30, but in its bid to increase bookings, with travel management companies in particular, this fee could be removed, Easyjet's CEO Carolyn McCall told ABTN.
The move is likely to be popular with business travel bookers, McCall acknowledged, but will only be made if the figures add up.
“We will run the numbers and see whether we can do it. If we can’t, we won’t and if we can we will,” she said, adding that a decision is likely by September.
Easyjet is currently targeting the business traveller, having recently launched a new type of fare aimed at corporates – the flexifare.
This allows travellers to change their booking with no additional fee, and benefit from automatic speedy boarding, no booking fees and a check-in hold bag at no extra cost.
Easyjet’s flexifare is currently only bookable through travel management companies, but will soon be available direct through the airline’s website – McCall confirmed this could be as soon as by the end of June.
“Business customers have found Easyjet,” said McCall, adding that around 20% of travellers flying with the carrier are on business trips.
To grow this sector, however, Easyjet has to “do something much more tangible,” said McCall – hence the launch of the flexifare and much more open discussions with travel management companies.