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BA v Easyjet
commute regularly from GLA to LHR on BA but sometimes have to fly to airports not served by BA.
flew easy from Bristol to GLA on the 12th and BA from LHR to GLA on the 13th. Thought FT readers might be interested in the comparison. The price for a BA semi flex and an Easy flex were similar although the BA flexibility applied only to changes in the day. The priority boarding was much quicker on Easy. On BA the fast track queue was huge. Easy only allows 1 piece of hand baggage so I checked in my wheelie which was waiting for me when I got off the plane. On the BA flight I only had my brief case which I had to put under the seat in front. The hand baggage situation on BA was chaotic and a number of bags had to be moved to the hold. The FAs were affable on both flights. Leg room seemed slightly better on Easy. The Easy flight left ten minutes early and landed 10 minutes early. The BA flight was 45 minutes late leaving and the same arriving, at least partly due to the hand baggage shambles. Got a 'free' G&T on BA, stuff to purchase on Easy. Got 1000 avios and 20 TP on BA, I don't think Easy has a FF programme. Overall Easy won hands down. Now I duck for cover. |
As a blue, I find very little between them. The gate area at GLA is nicer if flying BA, and you get a 'free' drink onboard, but that's really it as far as BA's advantages go, now that you have to pay extra for a checked bag. And even these are counterbalanced by the fact that on EZY you can at least buy a sandwich if you need to, and if you want it, you get priority boarding when booking a seat at the front of the plane.
And actually, I would extend this comparison to FR as well, who have really improved their offering markedly in the last year or so. I fly on schedule and price. |
Originally Posted by Scots_Al
(Post 24349449)
And actually, I would extend this comparison to FR as well, who have really improved their offering markedly in the last year or so.
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Easyjet Flexi tickets are very good but they do come with restrictions. Changes are only valid on the inbound sector and to the airport originally booked, which is of limited use as Easyjet spreads its services very thinly between GLA and LGW/LTN/STN
Easyjet GLA-STN Twice daily GLA-LTN Twice daily GLA-LGW Thrice daily British Airways GLA-LGW Five flights GLA-LHR Nine flights I’m not a fan of BA’s new seats but if a fair comparison is to made, they should be measured against Easyjet’s new seats http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/I/i...2013111136.jpg |
The seats should be like those for all short-haul (<2 hours). They're perfectly fine IMO. I'd rather have legroom.
HBO fares on BA are stupid, quite frankly. You should have to pay extra to take your bag on board, not put it in the hold. By all means exempt gold card holders (like me :-) or even silvers but it would make sense to charge more to take the bag onto the plane than to put it into the hold. Laptop bags/handbags/anything which goes under the seat should be free. |
Your point about timekeeping on short haul is well made and is exacerbated by hand baggage issues.
I've been delayed by over 15 mins on over 40 of my last 50 odd sectors (may actually be closer to 45). |
As I fly mainly to mainland Europe on business and am based in EDI my preferences are as follows;
During April - October I'll use direct Ryanair and Easyjet services from EDI wherever possible due to the huge time saving. I find these LCC's fine for these 2 - 3 hour flights. I always pay for priority boarding and a front row seat. If flying to London my preference is BA EDI - LCY. Try to avoid LHR these days due to all the delays. I would not consider flying into LTN or STN on an LCC if my final destination was London. From October to April I fly almost only BA at present connecting to Europe via LHR and the odd LGW. If more direct flights on LCC's were offered all year round from EDI I suspect I would only be using BA for LCY services and the occasional long haul. As I suspect the LCC's will open up more year round direct flights from EDI in the future I may find myself on BA metal less. |
I can't eat the snacks given on domestic flights on BA. They usually contain gluten.
On Easyjet I can choose to purchase something I can eat. I prefer this method. I'm sure those who can eat anything prefer the choice, too. Also, flying from Edinburgh, I can't see why someone would prefer to fly via a hub unless they can't fly direct. I'd rather fly direct to European destinations than hang around in London. Long hall I don't mind, although having recently discovered the joys of preclearance in Dublin I am now unlikely to fly to the USA on BA again either (except city service, which I've not yet done) |
Originally Posted by Prospero
(Post 24349491)
Easyjet Flexi tickets are very good but they do come with restrictions. Changes are only valid on the inbound sector and to the airport originally booked, which is of limited use as Easyjet spreads its services very thinly between GLA and LGW/LTN/STN
Easyjet GLA-STN Twice daily GLA-LTN Twice daily GLA-LGW Thrice daily British Airways GLA-LGW Five flights GLA-LHR Nine flights I’m not a fan of BA’s new seats but if a fair comparison is to made, they should be measured against Easyjet’s new seats 9.2 “easyJet Flexi” 9.2.1 easyJet Flexi is available on all Flights, subject to limited availability per Flight. 9.2.2 If You buy an easyJet Flexi You will be able to make an unlimited number of free changes to the Flight time in Your original Booking, subject to the changed Flight time falling within a fixed 4 week time window (starting 1 week before the original travel date and ending 3 weeks after the original travel date). 9.2.3 You are also entitled to make an unlimited number of route changes (i.e. changes to the departure or destination airports of Your original Booking) to an easyJet Flexi Booking without payment of the flight change fee (set out in Our Fees and Charges), provided that: (a) the changed Flight falls within a fixed 4 week time window (starting 1 week before the original travel date and ending 3 weeks after the original travel date); and (b) You pay any difference between the original fare paid and the fare available for the changed Flight at the time the change is made. If the available fare is lower than the original fare paid, no refund will be made. Route changes for Flexi Bookings are not available on the Website. See Article 9.2.5 below for the ways that You can make a route change. 9.2.4 Changes to your easyJet Flexi Booking are subject to seat availability on alternative Flights. You must complete any change to Your easyJet Flexi Booking more than two hours before the scheduled departure time of Your original Booking and more than two hours before the scheduled departure time of the changed Flight (or more than one hour before the scheduled departure time of the original Flight and the changed Flight if you make the transfer by going to an easyJet airport Sales Desk or Customer Services Desk at the airport (if any)), otherwise You will forfeit Your ability to make a change. Changes cannot be made within the first 24 hours that follow the initial easyJet Flexi Booking. |
I am not an Easyjet fan but forced to use them on the London- Inverness route, which is slightly better for me than London Aberdeen.
The thing that wins with Easyjet for me is that they don't canx. Flights the way that BA have to when Ops. Slow at LHR... and Easyjet are far more punctual... In fact I can't remember when my last BA LHR DOM. Was on time. I haven't been on one of their aircraft with new seats yet, and the unwillingness of most to pay extra means I can always benefit (so far) from row one or either overwing exit. Catering on Easyjet can be non-existant on early morning flights from Out stations as they don't uplift, so if you want a breakfast roll on your early morning INV- LGW flight you had better buy it in the terminal! My favoured option was until recently City to ABZ of BACityflyer..... Ho-hum. |
Originally Posted by malcolmcampbell
(Post 24349391)
The hand baggage situation on BA was chaotic and a number of bags had to be moved to the hold.
...... Overall Easy won hands down. Now I duck for cover. I have used the Easy on-the-day flexibility to come back from GVA when a meeting finished early - but of course Easy have plenty of flights back from there. The hand luggage policy is for me a major reason for flying BA but I worry that they will make it more strict without ever trying to enforce it properly. JP |
I prefer Ryanair as they allow me to take a briefcase plus a wheelie but otherwise like Easyjet too
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I have a regular trade show to Berlin that i've only ever flown BA coming up in a couple of weeks. However discovered that Easyjet fly there from Southend Airport - which is only 1h20 by train from Camden in North London where I live - marginally quicker than public transport to Heathrow or Gatwick.
Plus i'm informed the airport has a dedicated station that you can reach in less than 10 minutes after getting off the plane. Such easy access (I presume for many people in London) i'm ecstatic - especially when the flights only cost £45 return, but this is a new game changer for me for European flights! Might do an airport trip review - no-one needs another BA vs Easyjet trip review! |
You can also get Nectar points by booking Easyjet through the Nectar shop.
Not a lot. But something is better than nothing. |
Originally Posted by Sam Bee
(Post 24349606)
I have a regular trade show to Berlin that i've only ever flown BA coming up in a couple of weeks. However discovered that Easyjet fly there from Southend Airport - which is only 1h20 by train from Camden in North London where I live - marginally quicker than public transport to Heathrow or Gatwick.
Southend is served by Abellio Greater Anglia, probably the wost commuter franchise around now. Mostly caused by this being a caretaker franchise where they weren't expected to make improvements. There always seems to be reports of poorly maintained trains and delays. Personally that's not the way I want to start a trip. |
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