easyJet: Lisbon-Bordeaux

Lisbon (LIS) to Bordeaux (BOD) is a new route to be launched by easyJet (U2/EZY) as part of its new base in Lisbon. The new route will be launched on 18 April 2012 and will most likely be operated with Airbus A319 aircraft, which are equipped with 156 seats.

If airlines seem to be opening a lot of bases at the moment around Europe, it's just because easyJet and Ryanair (FR) seem to be trying to outdo each other. After a latency period of a few months, Ryanair recently opened a base in Manchester (MAN), with new ones planned to open in Wroclaw (WRO) and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (FKB) in time for the summer. easyJet has similarly announced new bases in Lisbon (although this was announced more than a year ago), Toulouse (TLS) and Nice (NCE), no doubt in order to compete more closely with Vueling (VY), another low-cost airline which has been edging its way into the French regional market and has had an aircraft based in Toulouse since summer 2011, and Air France (AF), which plans to open regional bases in these cities in the coming year.

The flight has quite a scope to attract business passengers. Although the flight is not very frequent at four weekly rotations, easyJet has been known to tempt business passengers and has a few enticing benefits. Mainly cost though. Not much else. The flight will probably suit leisure and VFR (Visits to Friends and Relatives) passengers much more, as the schedule permits weekend breaks.

1.3.5.7/ EZY7637/ LIS07.05-09.55BOD/ EZY7638/ BOD10.25-11.15LIS

The competition is twofold: both Air France (AF) and TAP (TP) operate the route. Well not really. Neither operate the route on their own behalf. Air France leaves it to its subsidiary Régional to operate the route with their 50-seater Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, while TAP leaves it to its subsidiary PGA/Portugalia to operate the route with their 50-seater Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, which probably becomes very confusing.

Lisbonne (LIS) à Bordeaux (BOD) est une nouvelle ligne qui sera proposée à partir du 18 avril prochain par easyJet (U2/EZY) depuis sa nouvelle base à Lisbonne. Les vols seront effectués quatre fois par semaine avec un appareil de type Airbus A319 de 156 sièges. Les vols easyJet attirent de plus en plus de passagers affaires, donc il est possible que ces vols seront au détriment des compagnies (Air France et TAP) déjà installées sur la ligne dont les vols sont conçus surtout pour attirer des passagers de ce type. Tout de même, avec des horaires utiles pour un séjour en weekend, ces vols attireront sûrement des passagers loisirs. De plus que les vols sont beaucoup moins chers que la concurrence jusque-là.

An eayJet Airbus A319 taxis to the runway at Geneva