Innovation at Easy Jet



Innovation at Easy Jet

Introduction

Founded in 1995, Easy Jet was introduced by Stelios Haji-Ioannou to offer low cost scheduled airline services within Europe. Easy Jet is an airline carrier company providing scheduled services, in-flight and related services. Easy jet is an airline carrier company providing scheduled services, in-flight and related services. The principal activity of the company and its subsidiary companies is the provision of airline services within Europe. The company operates on over 540 routes and has over 196 aircraft and operates across 30 countries. It's headquarter is in Luton, the UK and employs around 7,359 people. The company recorded revenues of £2,973.1 million (approximately $4,635.5 million) in the fiscal year ended September 2010, an increase of 11.5% over 2009 (Ottink 2004, 45). Easy Jet is a low priced airline that operates mostly on business routes. This gives the airline a competitive edge according as there is huge load on business routes. The company is able to minimize maintenance costs due to its commitment towards innovation and continuous improvement.

Easy Jet expanded its operations by operating flights between London Luton, Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Nice, and Barcelona in 1996. The company's first wholly owned aircraft delivered in the same year. In 1997, the company started its services between Liverpool John Lennon and Amsterdam. In the same year, the company launched easyJet.com to provide information on the airline. The company acquired 40% stake in the Swiss based charter airline TEA Basel AG and later re branded as easy jet Switzerland in 1998. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2000.

It purchased Stansted-based low-cost airline 'Go' in 2002. In the same year, the company appointed Airbus as its preferred aircraft supplier. As part of the deal, easy Jet placed a firm order for 120 Airbus A319 aircraft for delivery from September 2003 over five years, with a further 120 Airbus A319 aircraft scheduled to be ordered by 2012. Also, the company opened an operating base in Berlin and entered into the German market in 2003. Continuing the chain, Easy Jet further expanded in Germany as it made Dortmund International Airport its next European base in 2004. The Company launched alternative routes from London Gatwick to the Republic of Ireland and new routes to Bremen, Bournemouth, and Stansted in 2006 followed by ski partnership with Iglu in the same year. The paper aims to discuss and analyze the innovation practices adapted by Easy Jet and their strategic position globally.

Innovation at Easy Jet

Easy Jet is a leading provider of low budget, no frills air travel servicing many of the leading city destinations in the UK and across Europe, including Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Prague. It is recognized as a leading brand name in the UK travel industry. As a market leader in an industry, Easy Jet is widely seen as a leading contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming and realizes their environmental responsibilities by prioritizing these essentials in developing their future strategies (Robert 2011, ...