Skift Take
EasyJet's drive to get passengers places while making the most money could turn off customers, but they've managed customer service relatively well -- at least compared to regularly reviled competitor Ryanair.
EasyJet's headquarters are located in a hangar in Luton Airport, 35 miles north of London. The working environment is described internally as a "treat-free zone" -- the carpets and window treatments are plain. There are no plants, no pictures, no individual offices, and the desks that have a view overlook the airport parking lot.
"We are living the low-cost dream," laughs Peter Duffy, the airline's CMO. Yet by paying attention to every penny, EasyJet increased its profit 28% to $485 million for the year ended Sept. 30, the airline's best since it started in 1995.
The business was, Mr. Duffy said, founded on two great concepts: "The deregulation of the European flight market and the internet. EasyJet has had digital at its heart right from the start. It's where you spend least to get most -- we are ruthlessly commercial."
Key to the low-cost ethos is the airline's use of digital to drive efficiency: EasyJet gets 400 million visits to its site every year and is aiming to turn more of the site surfers into paying passengers. "With those numbers, even the smallest changes can make a significant difference," said Mr. Duffy.
Mr. Duff
