...You mean flying FOR FREE! Well, Bill Hough, notorious for getting cheap deals would jump on this, right Bill! Bryant Petitt Cumming, GA --- Jim Fulton <jim.fulton@talk21.com> wrote: > Evening guys, some not so good news for competition > here in Europe as the > small guys start playing big boys games. BBC TV News > tonight reported that > one of the few routes where EZY and GOE fly head to > head is > Edinburgh-Belfast, with EZY quoting ZERO flight > prices, just government and > airport tax, on the route. Ryanair are strong > competition for both here in > the UK and increasingly in Europe. > > Easyjet had been recently reported as being in > negotiations with Boeing and > Airbus over an order approaching 100 737NG/319 > aircraft. Go had also been > reported as starting to look for newer equipment to > replace their leased > fleet of 3 to 14 year old 737-300s. Ryanair had > recently concluded a deal > for up to 100 737-800s over nearly ten years with > Boeing. > > Jim > > From bbc.co.uk/news : > > Friday, 3 May, 2002, 17:29 GMT 18:29 UK > Easyjet in talks to buy rival Go > > Easyjet, the UK-based low cost airline, is in talks > about buying its rival > Go. If a deal goes ahead, the company would be a > major player in Europe, > rivalling no frills airline Ryanair and posing a > greater threat to British > Airways. It would create a substantial low-cost > airline in Europe. > > Easyjet has confirmed that talks have been going on > for some time and has > said negotiations are at an advanced stage and are > continuing. The company > said it was forced to make a statement to the London > Stock Exchange when it > became aware that news of the negotiations had been > leaked. The statement > was made in consultation with Go and 3i, a venture > capital group that owns > 43% of Go. > > Easyjet said it had previously indicated that it > would actively consider all > possible opportunities for further expansion in the > European short haul > airline market. And the company pointed out that > since the terrorist attacks > of 11 September the opportunities to expand had > increased. > > A 3i spokeswoman said talks began after it and the > board of Go were > approached by Easyjet. "Obviously it would create a > substantial low-cost > airline in Europe. If an offer is made we will > consider that along with the > board of Go and other shareholders," she said. > > Easyjet was set up in 1995 by the flamboyant > entrepreneur and shipping > tycoon, Stelios Haji-Ioannou. > > The airline's main base is at Luton airport, in > Bedfordshire, 30 miles north > of central London but it also flies from London > Gatwick and Liverpool. It > has 31 737-300 and 737-700 aircraft flying to 45 > destinations. > > Mr Haji-Ioannou recently said he was stepping down > as the airline's chairman > to concentrate on expanding Easy Group into areas > such as cinemas and low > cost hotels. Sir Colin Chandler was named as his > replacement. > > Go is based at Stansted airport, in Essex, and was > set up by British Airways > in 1998. It has a 22-strong fleet of 737-300 > aircraft flying to 38 > destinations. > > Mr Haji-Ioannou has always been fiercely critical of > his rival, which he > felt was unfairly subsidised by BA. He even used the > launch of Go to win > publicity for his own airline by booking seats and > turning up wearing > Easyjet's trademark orange uniform. > > In June last year, British Airways sold Go but the > rivalry with Easyjet > appeared to be as intense as ever. Go chief > executive, Barbara Cassani, an > American, was appointed by the then chief executive > of British Airways, Bob > Ayling. Ms Cassani was recently named Veuve Clicquot > businesswoman of the > year. > > Easyjet shares ended the day up nearly 5% at 472p > with Ryanair up 2% at > 382.5p. BA shares were 4% lower at 229.5p. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health.yahoo.com