easyJet global platform gains ground with Virgin Atlantic

A global network strategy by British low-cost carrier easyJet is gaining ground as it makes it easier to transfer to and from legacy carriers. Virgin Atlantic is the latest airline to sign up with the “Worldwide by easyJet” which connects the budget carrier’s European network to long-haul flights. The airline kicked off the service in September 2017 with launch partners Westjet and Norwegian and quickly expanded it to Thomas Cook Airlines, Corsair, la Campagnie and Loganair. Milan Malpensa airport was added the same year. In 2018, the platform has been widened to include Berlin Tegel, Venice Marco Polo, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Edinburgh airport. SEE our ratings for easyJet. In addition to Virgin Atlantic, it has also attracted top-tier carrier Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said he expected the addition to the platform of Virgin Atlantic to be popular given both served many popular destinations from Gatwick. The deal opens up possibilities such as Barcelona-Orlando and Edinburgh-Las Vegas as well as flights to Caribbean destinations such as Antigua and St Lucia. Lundgren signaled that more deals would be announced soon with a “large number of different airlines as well as airports” asking to work with the carrier. “We have been delighted with the appetite of partner airports and airlines to expand Worldwide across our network and continue to broaden our focus to launch more airline partners and add connectivity to more of our biggest airports,'' he said. "Tens of millions of connecting passengers travel each year with journeys which begin or end in Europe. EasyJet boasts that its new platform is the first global airline connections service by a European low fares carrier. It says the partners it has already announced allow 53 million easyJet customers a year to connect to airline partner services using a single booking through a virtual hub. It also notes that the global platform does not affect its punctuality, asset utilization or operating model. “The airline will not hold flights for connecting passengers. Worldwide by easyJet is subject to a 2 hour 30 minute ‘Minimum Connection Time’, which will give customers plenty of time to transfer between flights and/or terminals,’’ it says. “Should a passenger miss a connecting flight they will be transferred to the next available flight.”