The best CEOs know when it's the right time to quit. Things may look rosy now, but EasyJet could be in for a tough time if the UK's Brexit negotiations go badly.
EasyJet's choice for its new CEO is a bit of a surprise given that Johan Lundgren left his last job at TUI Group in May 2015 and wasn't one of the many names linked with the job. Still he's got plenty of travel experience, which will help him deal with the challenges in his new role.
Don't let recent news fool you. This is a promising development, but we're still far from a world in which a substantial number of passengers fly on a hybrid-electric plane.
EasyJet just launched an airline alliance aimed at better-connecting travelers across low-cost networks. Beyond a booking engine, though, the partnership offers few benefits.
To the average flyer this makes little sense. Why would a Scandinavian airline build a new airline with the same name in Ireland? But many consumers expect to pay 30 or 35 Euros to fly from Copenhagen to London. If an airline is going to offer those prices, it needs to control costs.
EasyJet’s growth plans hinge on having the requisite number of pilots to fly its aircraft. It will have to offer enticing packages to recruit the right people in an era of shortages.
EasyJet is offering another example of how airlines are increasingly using their sales channels to act as travel providers catering to all parts of a trip.
Cheap fuel is keeping the European aviation market competitive, which presents something of a challenge to strong, established carriers like EasyJet and Ryanair. We'll probably have to wait until next year for any kind of shake-up.
While the first quarter figures point to an airline ticking along nicely, the outlook remains fairly gloomy, especially as no one really knows how big an impact the UK's protracted departure from the European Union will have on the economy.
For a relatively small outlay, EasyJet will effectively have an interest in 35 companies. Many of these will likely come to nothing but even if only a couple succeed the initial investment will seem like a bargain.