easyJet encountering turbulence in the business travel space

It seems that easyJet’s surprise move into the business travel space, becoming the first of the big European low cost carriers to do so, is not without its problems.

The Guild of Travel Management Companies is against the airline charging an extra €12 for return bookings made through the Amadeus and Travelport GDSs.  The GTMC is threatening to boycott LCC airline bookings via GDSs to ensure this trend does not become the norm.

Travel management companies initially encouraged LCCs to join the legacy airlines on GDSs, but they are now concerned that the airlines are shifting incurred costs to buyers – the GTMC has vowed to fight any such move.

GTMC chief executive Phillip Carlisle said, ‘we have meetings with both easyJet and Amadeus this month and would very much like to reach an amicable resolution.’  He claimed that the approach of charging clients is not going to help easyJet break the corporate market.

easyJet stood by their distribution strategy saying, ‘if we incur a cost we pass it on to the passenger.  That is our approach to everything and is all we are doing with our approach to GDS pricing.’

Jerry Dunn, easyJet’s Distribution Development Manager and Stephane Durand, MD UK & Ireland at Amadeus will be speaking this week at Travel Distribution Technology.  Happening this Wednesday and Thursday (16-17th) in London it is the essential place to progress the discussion with regards to distribution.  With only a few places left make sure you don’t miss out by booking now at www.eyefortravel.com/tdt.