An end of year break !
After a year of travelling the world which took in Helsinki,Tokyo,Seoul,Marrakesh,Casablanca,Houston,Glasgow,Sheffield ), it was time to wrap up 2018 with a nice visit to Amsterdam !
I found an amazing deal with easyJet for GBP50.50 ( hand baggage only but later a suitcase was added ).
Rewind back to 1995 when easyJet arrived in the UK's skies with a bright orange tail,uniform and a most unusual fuselage livery which consisted of a contact centre number !
I booked back in July 2018 for travel in December - just 2 weeks before departure my best friend decided to join me !
I have keenly watched easyJet grow since it's 1995 launch. The orange tails and reservations number instead of fuselage titles would catch anyone's eye but easyJet brought a new revolution in UK travel i.e. you could book via contact centre but would need to pay for bags,seats,meals ; something that is standard today however was most unusual back in 1995.
Low cost air travel in the UK was yet to take off - although Ryanair offered cheap fares, it was easyJet who really caught everyone's attention with their bright orange tails.
There are 3 airlines which fly Manchester-Amsterdam nonstop today which are flybe,easyJet and KLM.
I had already flown flybe from Glasgow to Manchester 2 months earlier and I will never ever fly KLM, so it was down to easyJet.
Cathay Pacific once flew MAN-AMS-HKG v.v. and had the rights to fly between MANAMS and AMSMAN.
British Airways and Air UK also used to fly the Manchester-Amsterdam route.
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BA sold this and other Manchester routes to flybe whilst AirUK was KLM uk for while before dissappearing altogether.
An Orange past and future !
easyJet was launched by Greek businessman Sir Stelios Haji-ioannou, with two wet leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft utilizing two routes from London Luton to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Just under a year later, EasyJet took ownership of its own aircraft and initiated international flights, with the first overseas destination being Amsterdam.
The quick expansion after the purchase of Go continued as the airline opened its base at London Gatwick Airport as well as new bases in Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.
EasyJet, along with other notable airlines such as Ryanair and Southwest, follow the same theme in the choice of aircraft. Having the same type of airplane reduces cost across the whole company itself. By having a certain type of aircraft, an airline only needs one type of pilot to fly the entire fleet. EasyJet currently has 218 aircraft in its fleet, which is made up of 135 A319-100s and 83 A320-200s, meaning the airline’s 2000 pilots can fly any aircraft in the fleet because the aircraft all fall under the same type rating. Because of this, the airline required only one type of engineer, one size maintenance facilities, one type of cabin crew and one type of airport slot, allowing the company to save millions of dollars straight away.
By 2007 the airline claimed to operate more flights per day than any other European airline. Towards the end of 2007, EasyJet bought GB Airways, giving EasyJet more slots at Gatwick as well as a new base at Manchester Airport.
In 2011, London Southend Airport became the airline's 11th base in the UK, offering up to 15 flights during the Summer season.
During 2013, EasyJet’s Gatwick base started its 100th route, with new service to Moscow as well as shortl lived Manchester-Moscow flights, which were the first in almost 20 years.
An A320 soon donned a destination logo !
Both EasyJet and Ryanair have a relatively young average fleet age of 5 years, compared to US low cost carrier Southwest having an average of 11.9 years. This only further enables the airline to reduce its maintenance costs.
Initially, all of EasyJet bookings were through telephone only, with the number emblazoned on all EasyJet airplanes. Because of this, there was no need for travel agents to sell bookings with their commission, meaning the airline was selling tickets directly to customers at the cheapest price possible.
Towards the end of 1997, it was reported that Sir Stelios was incredibly skeptical of online bookings through a website, with the owner stating “The Internet is for nerds, it will never make money for my business!” However, with the help of Tony Anderson and Michael Coltman, EasyJet’s marketing director and business manager, the potential was seen and and a trial period was born. Once Sir Stelios saw the trial’s results, he quickly changed his mind and eventually oversaw his company becoming the first low-cost carrier in Europe to offer real-time online booking by April of 1998.
Internet bookings became a cheaper option compared to telephone bookings through the reduction in costs for call centers, which directly lead to cheaper tickets, more passengers, and most importantly more revenue for the airline. EasyJet quickly changed their aircraft liveries from displaying a phone number to a web address, which would also increase ticket purchases.
easyjet's first and current website
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Timeline
1995
- easyJet is founded by Sir Stelios Haji Ioannou in March to offer low cost flights in Europe
- easyLand, the airline's first home, opens at London Luton Airport
- Inaugural flights take off from London Luton to Glasgow on 10 November and to Edinburgh on the 15th
1996
- The launch of the first international flights, from London Luton to Amsterdam, then Nice and Barcelona
1997
- In April eayjet launched it's website. Online bookings become available a year later
- In October easyJet is recognised as a financially viable airline and receives it's own Air Operating Certificate
- Liverpool Airport becomes it's second base, offering flights to Amsterdam
1998
- easyJet buys a 40% stake of Swiss charter operation TEA Basel AG in March. It is later renamed easyJet Switzerland
- First seat sells online at www.easyJet.com
1999
- easyJet Switzerland moves to Geneva, which becomes the third airport base and the first base outside the UK
- The first series of Airline is shown on ITV in September. The reality TV programme follows the lives of easyJet's staff and passengers
- In August easyjet buys Go, the low cost airline set up by British Airways. With the combination of easyJet's 35 aircraft and Go's 27 aircraft, easyJet become Europe's number one lowcost airline
2004
- In May easyjet make history by checking in an entire flight through the new self- check-in kiosks at East Midlands airport
2006
- easyjet starts the New Year by becoming the first major low cost airline to roll out internet check in for its UK passengers and offer a 15 minute gate arrival time for those travelling with just hand
baggage
- Speedy Boarding is introduced, giving passengers greater choice over their seating arrangements by offering the opportunity to be among the first to board the aircraft
2007
- easyjet expands further by purchasing GB Airways. With 15 new planes, the airline can offer even more destinations such as Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Dalaman from Gatwick and Manchester
Onboard Services and Cabin
All of the airline’s aircraft are configured in a single class, allowing for a high density layout and maximum seats per aircraft. The A319 fleet can accommodate 156 passengers, whereas the A320-200 fleet is currently in the process of being converted from 180 to 186 passengers, matching the capability of the airline’s NEO aircraft.
Because the airline does not serve meals on its shorter flights, the airline chose to have smaller galleys, allowing for 156 seats on the A319 fleet (normally seats 140). Due to this seating arrangement, all EasyJet A319s have two pairs of over-wing exits instead of one to meet safety requirements in the event of an evacuation.
Although no food is served on a complimentary basis among the passengers, all flown routes have the ability to serve food and drinks at the expense of the passenger. Products include sandwiches, chocolate, snacks, and alcoholic drinks. The Company also offers an onboard duty free shop ( Boutique) including fragrances, cosmetics, gadgets and airline-branded items.
Like Southwest, the airline used to not allocate seats, meaning passengers effectively scrambled from the terminal to the aircraft on the ramp for a certain seat location. If passengers were willing to pay, they could purchase “Speedy Boarding” which at an extra cost allowed the passenger to be among the first on the aircraft. However, beginning in 2012 the airline started to allocate numbered seats before boarding as it was found that this did not slow down the boarding of passengers and could increase revenue more than what “Speedy Boarding” had provided. Front row seats and overwing seats, which provide more leg room, are still sold for an additional fee.
As I was headed to Amsterdam, some nice information about Schiphol Airport.
Each year, British readers of Business Traveller magazine choose the winners of the Business Traveller Awards. The magazine was launched in 1976 and has developed into an authoritative source of information read by business travellers all over the world.
Thanks to the airlines, Schiphol is perfectly connected to the United Kingdom. On average, there are 145 flights a day between Schiphol and 26 different airports in the United Kingdom,carrying in 2017 about 10 million passengers. Around 40% of these passengers are business travellers.
Worldwide by easyJet
With Worldwide by easyJet you can now book flights to far away destinations like New York and Singapore directly with us connecting through one of our many self connection hubs across Europe.
One stop booking process
Self-connect partner airlines and easyJet flights
Simple bag transfer
Missed connection cover
Fast track security
If easyJet ever want to operate their own longhaul flights and really go Worldwide with Orange Spirit, then the artist world is ahead of the game !
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Launched in 2016, the airline’s Generation easyJet adverts have closely targeted an age group more likely to spend their disposable income taking advantage of ever-cheaper air travel than putting it towards what may feel like the unattainable goal of hopping onto a rung of the property ladder.
easyJet memorabilia
My small,orange,exclusive and sophisticated collection !
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easyJet turned 20 in 2015 and I was lucky to receive a celebratory inflight magazine and some chocolate - orange flavoured of course !
easyjet Liveries
The 737s which were once the backbone of the easyJet fleet
Tartan livery celebrating Scottish routes ( easyJet's first routes were from Luton to Glasgow and Edinburgh)
Amsterdam livery - the first international service was to Amsterdam and Schiphol is served multiple times a day from across the United Kingdom
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In 2015, easyjet experimented with this refreshed livery
Before settling on this now popular livery which arrived with the new Airbus sharklet aircrafts
Slogans and Adverts
The Web's favourite airline
BA mick take " To Fly,To Save"
Come on,let's fly
europe by easyjet
generation easyjet
In 2015, to celebrate 20 years of easyJet, there was a temporary slogan "Time Flies" which also had it's own hashtag.
easyJet has always had innovative adverts from day 1. From the "Cut out the travel agent" advert which had dotted lines around the agent to this play on destinations !
Uniforms through time
easyJet uniforms - as you can see, from the days of an Orange tshirt, the uniform has really evolved to something classy and chique !
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The current uniform - gents wear an orange themed checked tie
Airportr
Easyjet has extended its partnership with luggage collection service Airportr, to include departures from London Luton airport.
The service allows customers to check in luggage at any central London address, ahead of departures from Luton, and costs from £40.
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U2 1833 Fast Facts
A319 of easyJet Europe ( Austrian registered and 156 seats in all Economy configuration )
Manchester-Amsterdam
OE-LKO
Previous flight Alicante-Manchester
Next flights after MANAMSMAN
Bilbao,Paris,Amsterdam,Granada,Lisbon,Vienna, Faro ..showing that this baby bus sure gets worked hard !
STD 1410
ATD 1440PM
PB 1422PM
TO 1440PM
STA 1630PM
ATA 1628PM
Factoid - easyJet Europe was established following the UK referendum vote to leave the European Union and the airline's decision to obtain an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in another EU member state in order to continue operating flights across and within European countries after the UK leaves the EU.
Many aircraft currently registered to easyJet UK will be reregistered to easyJet Europe, and those staff employed by easyJet UK but based elsewhere in the European Union will be transferred to easyJet Europe. easyJet has announced that it is planning to (re-)register 110 aircraft to fly under the new AOC of easyJet Europe by March 2019.
Check In
Myself and my friend arrived at Manchester Airport around 1200pm and proceeded to the easyJet checkin in area.
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Saudia 787 ( SV123) from Jeddah taxying to Terminal 2 ( my Parents were on the same flight a week earlier) - plus the Asian beauty known as Singapore Airlines !
easyJet Customer Service Desk Manchester Terminal 1
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The very basic boarding pass printed online
A male queuecomber took my passport and greeted me by first name which I really found friendly.
My suitcase was placed on a scale and was 11kg of the permitted 23kg - Vanessa very friendly and well groomed.
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Only after returning from Amsterdam did it transpire I had never been given a bag tag in Manchester. Luckily I had no issue but I am now told by high authority that had I had a baggage issue, my bag had still been registered in easyJet's system.
On the same desks that easyJet use at MAN, I once used to be a Passenger Service Agent for the now defunct Monarch Airlines. It was strange seeing computer screens replace the agents who once sat there!
We were checked in by 1210pm, exactly 2 hours before scheduled departure - this is greatly in thanks to my friend's Dad picking me up enroute to MAN !
We went downstairs into the security area of T1 - a security guard saw my Amsterdam guidebook and showed interest. He advised he was going to Korea and I told him where to go for the best Halal food in Seoul ( Itaweon )!
My friend and I loitered around the terminal - he had some food and I did some spotting.
If aviation bites you at a young age - it is with you for life !
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Not my aircraft !
Boarding
At around 1405pm I saw the easyJet A319 scheduled to operate our AMS flight land from Alicante. I was amazed that "boarding" had begun when the aircraft wasn't even on stand yet !
I had speedy boarding and arrived at the gate and was simply made to line up in the holding area with all passengers so the speedy boarding had made no difference !
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The Airhostess at the rear door was checking drawers full of soft drinks cans as I boarded. I said Good Afternoon and she responded nicely.
Boarding started around 1345pm and was complete by 1405pm.
Boarding seemed a bit of a mess and easyJet really want to look at separate boarding from row 1-12 from the front door and row 12 onwards from the rear door. There was no order and it really created an unecessarily busy atmosphere.
I found the legroom ok but the seat seemed tight width wise - the traytable opened right into my stomach ! For such a short flight it was bearable but I would be most uncomfortable with this seating on a longer flight.
There was a live English welcome announcement and a prerecorded Dutch welcome.
Next up were pre recorded Dutch safety instructions but crew only positioned themselves in the cabin cabin for the English language safety demonstration.
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Take Off
And we have lift off to Amsterdam !! Some dramatic sky shots for your enjoyment.
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The toilet queue not even 5 minutes after take off ! Imagine easyJet charging to use washrooms ! Spend a penny to spend a penny !
Inflight Experience
Onboard Bistro brochure
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I had prebooked the Calzone Meal Deal and gave my printed voucher to the crew on boarding.
Here is how the Calzone looks in the easyJet Bistro brochure
And here we have the actual meal - doesn't look too bad eh ? Tasted absolutely divine !
Ketchup was my own lol !
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Inflight Entertainment
easyJet offers access to movies, TV series, audio books, language courses, games and the latest news brought to you by Rakuten TV.
Connect for free on your own device by accessing the onboard wireless network while in flight mode.
Available in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian and only on 5 flights which presently fly into / out of Switzerland.
If you run out of time to complete the show during your flight, register for free and continue watching on Rakuten TV.
Airtime in operation !
Inflight Magazines
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Boutique brochure
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A glance at Traveller inflight magazine
Appropriate article seeing as I enjoyed Pizza onboard albeit a folded pizza !
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On the safety information page, references are made at the bottom of the page from actual incidents that have happened on easyJet flights - paranoia gone wrong as it turned out !
August 2018 Traveller cover - you certainly are encouraged to read !
The very charming Mr Gabor from Hungary was the Inflight Manager - I told him this was my first easyJet flight and he was happy to hear this. Before landing in Amsterdam he came by to ask how my flight had been but I didn't give much away and smiled at him !
During the prelanding cabin secure check, a male in front of me tried to pass an Airhostes his beverage cup but she advised she was not collecting rubbish and was just checking seatbelts.
One thing I love about landing in Amsterdam is that as soon as you swoop down over the Dutch coast you begin finals in next to no time !
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Hallo Holland !
We landed at 1628pm and after a long taxi, I bode farewell to the lovely crew who were flying straight back to Manchester- As I came down the stairs I could see passengers flying to Manchester all gathered in the holding room at the gate.
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The British Invasion at Schiphol !
Another Orange Darling pushes back to the UK - Schiphol's favourite destination !
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After a reasonable walk to Immigration, the pre immigration ladies were impressed with my Dutch and had lovely smiles on hearing I used to live in Holland ! The handful of passengers ahead of me were all from the UK judging by their passports.
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At Passport Control I said "Goedenavond" ( Good Evening in Dutch ) and the officer smiled then went on to speak in English ! Aaaah !! Maybe he thought I can only speak a word or two of Dutch !
At the AKO newstand the lady was most helpful in helping us choose 3 travel cards.
Sometimes it feels like you don't know if you are coming or going from Schiphol !
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See what I mean ? Both areas are right next to each other !
After an efficient 15 minute train ride to Amsterdam Centraal,the holiday would finally begin !
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Amsterdam Good !
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Amsterdam Highlights will be posted soon !
