EasyJet will not change its low cost model by flying long haul, reconfiguring aircraft for premium passengers or moving into Heathrow.
Chief executive Carolyn McCall ruled out all three moves yesterday despite turning the budget carrier in the direction of corporate travel.
Appearing at the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM) conference in Oxfordshire and asked whether she would ever operate from Heathrow or fly long haul, McCall said: “No.” She also ruled out extending the carrier’s range beyond Egypt.
McCall said: “We are good at point-to-point [services] and quick turnarounds. We are not about stretching this. There is a lot of growth left in Europe for us.”
She told Travel Weekly: “Egypt and Morocco are at the limits of our model. We have no plans to extend. We will consolidate what we do.”
McCall also ruled out any move towards a business class or premium economy cabin. She said: “A business class is not in our plan. Our plan is to tailor our product to business travellers.
“We have 15-18 seats with extra leg-room in the exit and front rows and that is what speedy boarding offers. There is no plan to change the configuration of our aircraft.”
However, she insisted: “There is scope to grow in business travel.” McCall told the audience of corporate travel managers at the ITM conference: “By [you] enforcing a policy of lowest reasonable fare on the day, we can [help you] lower travel budgets.”
McCall conceded easyJet had serious problems with punctuality at the time she joined the airline in June last year, saying: “We did not have a good summer on punctuality, but our on-time performance was 83% in March. Punctuality is back on track. We are obsessed about it now.”
She also warned fares would increase because of the current oil price. “Airlines cannot absorb all the extra cost,” she said. “Inevitably, all prices will rise.”
The price of Brent crude was $122 a barrel overnight.