easyJet set to attract more business travellers through renewed distribution deal with Amadeus

easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has signed a new and enhanced deal with Amadeus, a leading GDS supplier, which will help the airline capture a bigger share of the managed corporate travel market.

Amadeus is a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry. In 2007 easyJet was one of the first low cost airlines to make its inventory available to business travel bookers through the GDS providers. Almost four years on, this has now been extended. The agreement also delivers significant technical improvements as Amadeus and easyJet will work closely together to increase functionality and enhance the booking process for all travel agents using Amadeus.

Catherine Lynn, Director of Customer and Revenues, at easyJet, commented: “easyJet has made great gains in the European corporate travel market in recent years. We carried one million more business travellers last year than the year before and they now account for over 9 million annually.

Now more agents and corporate travel buyers will be able book with us and the improved functionality means it will also be easier for them to do so. This deal recognises the important role that GDS systems and travel management companies play in the corporate travel market and will enable us to capitalise on this in order to gain a larger market share.”

David Doctor, Director, Distribution Marketing, Amadeus “We are delighted with this new long-term agreement with easyJet and we look forward to enhancing our Amadeus Ticketless Access product to make it even easier for all our travel agencies to book easyJet flights.”

This announcement is the latest development in easyJet’s campaign to increase the number of business travellers which currently stands at over 9 million a year or 18% of easyJet’s passengers. Those travelling on business are attracted by easyJet’s extensive route network, high frequencies to main city airports and low-fares. The airline operates on more of Europe’s top 100 city pairs than any other airline including British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France.

In recent months easyJet has announced the introduction of Flexi fares which give passengers flexibility to change the date of their flights. The airline has also put a corporate sales team in place who have established strong partnerships with corporates and major travel management companies.

Source: easyJet