easyJet to conduct cargo trial
easyJet confirmed plans to launch a six-month cargo operation trial, as part of efforts to enhance its ancillary revenue streams (Emirates Business 24/7, 19-Nov-2009). The carrier will handle cargo on several routes from London for a third-party cargo company later this week. The agreement was signed two days ago, the told this paper.
easyJet: "I just signed off a business case to start cargo this week. It's going to be a pilot. It's going to be for small cargo and we don't know whether it's going to be successful. It will be basically on several routes from Gatwick. So we're going to try and see whether it will work… There's always a fear that cargo operation will interfere with passenger operation in terms of on-time performance and so we developed a totally new concept now with cargo. There's a middle man. So we're going to do the trial. We'll see whether it's going to add money to the bottom line because that's ultimately the most important," Cor Vrieswijk, Chief Operations Officer. Source: Emirates Business 24/7, 19-Nov-2009.