According to news from easyJet, the low cost airline will begin operating flights between London and Moscow starting early next year. Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority having granted the license to easyJet in preference to Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic, officials cite easyJet fare benefits as the reason.
Iain Osborne, Director of the the aviation authority’s regulatory policy. offered this comment on the announcement:
“We concluded that easyJet’s proposal would introduce a distinctly different product into the market and would stimulate innovation on the route as a whole.”
easyJet has quaranteed a £125 ($200) fare first three years in between the two capital cities. The announcement states the airline will begin flying two services a day from London’s Gatwick Airport next Spring. Other routes are also being considered.
McCall said that easyJet was considering launching an alternative route between Manchester and Moscow. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic contended that airline could do a better job of competing with British Airways, the other Moscow-route carrier, but easyJet’s more universal passenger appeal won out.
Air passengers travelling to Moscow from London can now benefit from added choices in fares and other services. Under bilateral agreements with Russian’s government, British Airways (BA) will operate from Heathrow Airport, while easyJet will take off from Gatwick Airport.
For more information on the authority’s decision, that document can be found here (PDF).
