Abstract

EasyJet is one of the most successful low-cost airlines in Europe. With the acquisition of Go, the low-cost subsidiary of British Airways in 2002, easyJet became the biggest low-cost airline in Europe, overtaking rival Ryanair to the top position. The case outlines the genesis of easyJet and the major events that occurred in the airline since its inception in 1995. It describes the operational policies adopted by the airline to support its strategy of becoming a cost leader, by cutting out unnecessary frills and non-value added services. The case also describes the marketing initiatives of the airline and some of the controversies it got involved in, because of its attacking ads.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Innovative business models
• Low cost airlines
• Aggressive advertising.

Keywords

EasyJet, low-cost, airlines ,Europe, acquisition, Go, British Airways,2002, Ryanair, events, airline, 1995,operational policies, airline, strategy, cost leader, frills, non-value added, services, marketing, controversies