EasyJet holidays launches to rival tour operators

Add to My Stories Budget airline easyJet is hoping to revolutionise the travel market with a new business offering package holidays with flexible dates.The carrier has teamed up with online travel company Lowcosttravelgroup to expand into the tour operator market and aims to rival the established big brands within three years.EasyJet Holidays will cater for 'empowered' independent travellers who want the freedom to design their own itinerary but still want the security of booking a package holiday, explained Lawrence Hunt from Lowcosttravelgroup.

Taking on the giants: EasyJet Holidays aims to rival major tour operators within three years'Consumers are fed up with being herded like sheep. With a network and frequent flights easyJet is more like a scheduled airline and allows customers more flexibility to take advantage of lower flight prices on different days,' he told Mail Online.'Sometimes a nine-day holiday can work out cheaper than a seven-day trip, depending on when you fly.'EasyJet is well placed to publicise the new company. As the UK's largest airline, it already has a customer base of 50million and Lowcosttravelgroup has become a top 10 online holiday company within two years of its launch.

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The two businesses will combine 540 flight routes with more than 10,000 hotels across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.As well as summer breaks, easyJet Holidays hopes customers will also use the company to organise citybreaks to suit the dates and times they want to travel.'An overhaul of theholiday market has been a long time coming,' said easyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall.'We are confident that t! he combi nation of flexibility, exceptional valueand choice, together with a state-of-the-art website and call centre,will ensure easyJet Holidays becomes a leading brand in the holidaymarket within three years.'