Case Study

Easyjet: The web's favorite airline

22 pages
December 1999
Reference: IMD-3-0873

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the 32 year-old CEO and founder of easyJet airlines, achieved profitability for the first time in 1999, almost 4 years after launching his London-based low-cost carrier. The concept behind easyJet was “to offer low-cost airline service to the masses”, and the airline accomplished this by adopting an efficiency-driven operating model, creating brand awareness, and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

A key issue in the case is whether the airline will continue to grow and survive in the highly competitive low-cost segment of the market. In 2000, Stelios was anxious to try his hand at launching other businesses, so he started a chain of Internet cafés. Some questioned whether Stelios would be able to successfully transfer his low-cost business model to Internet cafés. Undeterred, Stelios moved ahead with his plan to create easyEverything, with the belief that he could make a profit by encouraging customers to surf the Internet, send email, and shop online.

Keywords
Marketing Strategy, Industry Analysis, Service Management, Airline, General Management
Settings
Europe
Easyjet
1999
Type
Field Research
Copyright
© 2000
Available Languages
English, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese
Related material
Teaching note, Video
Case clearing houses
IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

2002 ECCH AWARD WINNER (Overall Winner)
2001 ECCH AWARD WINNER (Policy & General Management)
Best-selling Case Study
Looking for something specific?
IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics