BA overhauls European fares

Tuesday, 18 Jun, 2002 0

British Airways today announced a massive shakeup of its European fare structure as the airline continues to try to counter the threat from the no-frills sector.

Fares have been cut by up to 80% on 42 routes with Saturday night stay and advance purchase restrictions scrapped for new lower year round air tickets on flights from the UK to France, Italy, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The new fares are available from Thursday (June 20). As with the changes introduced on BA’s domestic fares in April, the earlier a booking is made, the wider the choice of lower fares available.

BA claims that domestic passenger numbers have increased by 15% since it overhauled its air fares on domestic routes and is hoping that the changes to European fares – which have been trialled on routes to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm – will prove just as successful.

More than 50,000 air tickets at the lowest fare will be available every month on the 71 domestic and European routes which now have lower flexible fares and fewer booking restrictions. European fares start at £59 return on domestic routes and £69 return including taxes, from London to Paris and Amsterdam. The airline says that previously the lowest midweek return flight to Paris would have cost £298.

Customers will also be able to combine peak and off peak fares to get the best price to suit their needs. BA added that new fares will continue to be introduced to the airline’s European network during the summer.

British Airways marketing director Martin George said: “We are offering full service at no frills prices on more than 70 routes across Europe. We are adopting what the no frills carriers do well and combining this with what our customers tell us we do better than anyone else.”

See our previous stories:
17-Jun-2002: Amex row with BA is “dangerous”, says rival
13-Jun-2002: bmi british midland introduces one way fares
16 Apr 2002: bmi follows BA with domestic fare changes
03 Apr 2002: BA slashes domestic fares to compete with low-cost carriers
13 Feb 2002: Thousands more jobs to be axed at BA