EasyJet to Extend Flexible Flights Scheme
Cheap flights carrier easyJet revealed at the weekend that it plans to place its flexible fares online either next month or in July – making it possible for UK holidaymakers to have the maximum choice in their travel arrangements.
Flexible fares were originally introduced by the low-cost carrier in November – but only for the business community, in a bid to attract more business travellers. These were able to book the cheap flights solely via corporate distribution systems and travel management companies (TMCs).
However, easyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall said last weekend that the carrier was now reaching out to the wider travel market with the flexible fares programme, with it becoming generally available "in June or July".
The flexibility scheme allows fliers to change the dates of their cheap flights from up to a week before or three weeks after the original flying time. A free piece of hold luggage is also included as is priority boarding and a guarantee of no additional booking fees.
The decision will be good news for UK travellers considering cheap flights to Spain this summer – which should number millions of people, if the latest figures from the Spanish tourism ministry are anything to go by.
The figures reveal that last month alone some 1.15 million Britons enjoyed Spain holidays – a 42 per cent increase on April 2010 – maintaining the UK as the number one market for the Spanish tourism industry. German tourists were the second largest group, with 817,000 German visitors taking Spain holidays last month - representing an 11 per cent year-on-year increase.
Overall, 4.7 million tourists took cheap flights to Spain last month, the ministry confirmed.
Budget Airline News posted by 
on 31 May 2011
cheap flights, cheap flights to Spain, Spain holidays
http://www.ttglive.com/c/portal/layout?p_l_id=3208370&CMPI_SHARED_articleId=4681496&CMPI_SHARED_ImageArticleId=4681496&CMPI_SHARED_articleIdRelated=4681496&CMPI_SHARED_ToolsArticleId=4681496&CMPI_SHARED_CommentArticleId=4681496&articleTitle=EasyJet%20to%20put%20flexible%20fares%20online%20as%20early%20as%20June
http://news.opodo.co.uk/NewsDetails/2011-05-27/Brits_flock_to_Spain_for_spring_breaks
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