OT: Easyjet may launch frequent flier programme!
 

From "The Business" newspaper this weekend:

Easyjet CEO Ray Webster, speaking at the IATA annual conference in Singapore last week said: "We may have to do a frequent flier programme cheaply. It would be along the lines of a coffee shop stamp on a card."

Probably not something for BAEC to worry about too much ...

Well, they wouldn't be the first UK-operating LCC to do so, Air Berlin has one, and R****air have their Credit Card FF Scheme.

The AB one is interesting though, as it's formed a partnership with Niki. The first LCC partnership?

Ryanair's is interesting, unlike say BMI which gives milage on purchases, and then a bonus on BMI purchases, there is nothing for someone who would not take very many Ryanair flights. It is something which is only really of use to book them. I wonder what the rationale behind this is, or is it just a reliance that people want a min number of cards, and if they get something free with one they will stick to it?

P

Simple, LiarAir get a commission from each purchase, just like BA with the BA AmEx card. BA rebate (some of?) this as BA Miles, while LiarAir offer a 'free' flight on first use and another if it is used to book 10 (I thinK) within 12 months, taxes , charges and card fees extra of course.

Since many FR flights are offered at £0.01 and £0.99, the 'free' flight offer is not exactly generous. And you have to use the LiarAir card to pay for the taxes, charges and card fee - and fly LiarAir :D .

Didn't British European as they were called used to have a card that one could collect stamps in each time one flew with them...I seem to recollect doing that years ago when I used to fly Bristol - Belfast with them?

Incidentally Bristol Airport have a 'frequent user' scheme where each time you fly from there you get 'points' and after 5 trips have enough to qualify for a pass to the Servisair operated lounge...useful for those of us without BA Gold status (yet) ^ .

Actually i've often thought EJ could make a killing selling "Priority Boarding" passes. When I fly EJ to EDI or AMS, which is often :( , I love to see the twenty or so regulars do the late arrival/early board jig. I mean, selling a years pass for 50 pounds would make a small fortune for the company!
And let's face it, it doesn't really cost EJ anything or waste time - it certainly takes longer turning back all those that don't understand the boarding procedure, or indeed those that "don't understand" the boarding procedure!

S.

I quite like EJ's 'free seating' approach, for two reasons:

1. If you are on your own, you can find another solo pax who has snagged a window seat and then you take the aisle. It is very rare that anyone will take the middle seat, giving you valuable extra arm space.

2. It is often possible to get an emergency exit row, even when boarding late. This is because most EJ planes board from the front and the back, and most pax take the first empty row they come to. The rows in the middle of the plane are often the last to fill.

If EJ do launch a 'coffee shop' loyalty card, I can see an interesting secondary market for half-used cards developing on e-bay! That said, old age and a BA silver card has meant that I will happily pay a £30 premium for BA, timetables etc being equal. I do more Ryanair than EJ these days, because Ryanair flies to more places that BA and EJ ignore altogether (eg Salzburg, Carcassone, Biarritz).

EasyMiles?? SteliosMiles? StelioSmiles?? :D

EasyComeEasyGo?

Southwest, the classic low cost carrier, has their FFP, too.
As soon as airlines have a customer base that is big enough, many of these airlines consider to introduce some kind of loyality programme ...

How do you go about applying for this, and can you claim trips retrospectively? I'm there about 6 times a year so this would be good....

It's nice to see a bit of competition. If Easyjet do this in the British market then Ryanair and BMI Baby (my local LCC) will surely follow.

Low cost FFPs
 

Hi,

I have had the Virgin Express FF card when they had a base here at LGW, I used the Southwest (WN) card in the states, and I am the proud(?) owner of the Ryanscare credit card. I have had the ultimate reverse BA Amex experience by actually buying a Concorde ticket with a Ryanair card. If only O'Leary knew that one!

The SW system was simple, as was the Virgin Express. Collect 20 different stamps/sectors and you were off on a free return on the network. I seem to remember that you could even hub/spoke BRU on their card.

The administration would have to be dead simple. You send in a card of 20 sectors (or whatever) and get a voucher with a code to enter via the website. Book and go. All this lounge, newspapers, drinks, nibbles, showers and all the rest is precisely what differentiates a Boeing 737 in orange/white from a Boeing 737 in white/blue/red. I would rather pay for BA but I am happy taking easyJet. I have banned my staff from flying on "a well known low cost carrier" after they failed a safety audit that we ran on them.

So where does that leave me? Virgin have gone from the UK but still do good stuff from BRU but you have to pay two lots of taxes, and the SN BRU flight from LGW leaves a lot later. I don't get to the US much without having through tickets on RTWs so WN doesn't see me so much. I have stopped flying Ryanair. Roll on those low cost FFPs with easyJet...