On Friday evening I flew to Nice with EasyJet. As ever, I had left it very late to leave the office and, within 1hr 30mins before take-off from Luton Airport, I was still only about three miles from the office in Isleworth, in a long queue to join the M25.
I was sure I wouldn’t make it so I rang American Express Gold Card out of hours travel service for some advice.
British Airways had a flight to Nice that evening from Heathrow. American Express quoted £522 plus tax for Club Class and BA, when telephoned directly, had the same seats available at £748.10 to go out on Friday and back on Monday.
The EasyJet fare was £120 each return including tax. The difference was so enormous it was hardly worth going. However, EasyJet have a system whereby, for a £10 charge, a reservation can be switched to an alternative flight provided the original flight seat is cancelled at least 1hr before departure. There was availability on the Saturday 6.30am flight and it would cost another £70 including the £10 fee. This was by far the best option.
The clock was ticking on and, by the time I had explored the various options, I was on the M25 and the traffic was moving freely.
The flight closed 30mins before departure, but it was now 1hr before and I had to decide whether to risk it or change the arrangements to Saturday morning.
I needed more time before making the final decision and here a most helpful, understanding and resourceful EasyJet reservations girl came into her own. Stelios would be very proud of her.
She offered to give me another 30mins before taking a final decision as to whether I would need to change the flight to the Saturday morning.
Miracles sometimes do happen on the M25 and M1 and I got to Luton and was at the check-in desk for the flight within 3mins of parking the car. Just imagine trying to do the same at either Heathrow or Gatwick.
Yes, Luton still feels like a provincial, local airport but it works very well, is cheap to use and suits the EasyJet philosophy. I like the way you can walk to the aircraft, too.
I hate the cheap EasyJet orange colours, but the young staff on board were polite and friendly, without that forced smile and “Hello, I’m Tracey” Americanised approach to service, which must come straight out of the big corporation rule book, and which so many carriers and hoteliers are mistakenly adopting.
The aircraft got to Nice on time and returned on time. All in all I was impressed, although the sandwiches you could buy on board were a little dry. For a short hop like Nice, the EasyJet formula is perfect.
What EasyJet is doing is what I hope many of us smaller tour operators are also trying to do.
Our staff should be allowed the same freedom as this girl on EasyJet reservations had.
Nothing should be set in stone because in a smaller company you do not have to be just an unthinking cog in a large machine.
Flexibility is our strength and we should foster initiative and lateral thinking as they represent formidable weapons in our fight to survive.