Igubha unyaka wayo wokuqala wesizinda sayo sase-Lyon, ukuba khona kwe-Easyjet kwembule amasu okukhulisa idolobha lesibili ngobukhulu e-France. Ngonyaka wayo wokuqala, i-Easyjet yathwala abagibeli abayisigidi ukusuka noma ukuya eLyon ngesilinganiso somthwalo esingaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-80. Inkampani yezindiza ngenxa yalokho izosekela indiza yesithathu ebusika obuzayo futhi ikhulise umthamo ngamaphesenti angama-30. I-eTN ithathe ithuba lokucela i-CEO ye-Easyjet u-Andy Harrison ukwabelana ngombono wakhe mayelana nokuvela kwe-Easyjet nezinkampani zezindiza ezibiza kancane eYurophu.
Iqhuba kanjani i-Easyjet kulo nyaka?
U-Andy Harrison: Impela unyaka onzima kuyo yonke imboni yezindiza. Nokho, kukhona umehluko. Imakethe yokudonsa isikhathi eside yehle ngamaphesenti ayi-10 kuya kumaphesenti ayi-15 kanti ithrafikhi yeprimiyamu ithinteka kakhulu. Ngemali engenayo etholakalayo encane, abenzi bamaholide abaningi bazoncamela ukuba neholide lolwandle nelanga e-Italy kunaseFlorida njengesibonelo. Lokhu kuchaza ukuthi kungani ithrafikhi ye-short-hair ihlala iqinile, yehle ngamaphesenti angu-5 alinganiselwe. Ngaphandle kokwehla kwamanje e-Europe, senza kahle kakhulu ngokunyuka kwabagibeli bethu ngamaphesenti angaphezu kuka-10 ngekota yokuqala ka-2009.
Ukuchaza kanjani lokhu kukhula kule nkinga yamanje?
U-Harrison: Okokuqala, imali yethu yokugibela iphansi ngamaphesenti angama-50 kunezinkampani ezithwala amafa. Kuyimpahla vele. Sithola ukwanda kwabahambi bebhizinisi, ikakhulukazi kulabo abasebenzela ama-SME. Ngonyaka odlule, abahambi bebhizinisi babe nesabelo semakethe esingamaphesenti angu-19 kuyo yonke inethiwekhi yethu. Bakhule kuze kube manje bafinyelela kumaphesenti angama-21 kulo nyaka. Siphinde siwine amasheya emakethe njengoba silondoloza futhi sikhulisa amakhono ethu lapho abaningi esincintisana nabo behlisa ukunikezwa kwabo. Ezimakethe zethu eziningi eziyinhloko, abadlali ababalulekile abafana no-Alitalia noma i-Clickair/Vueling banciphise ukuba khona kwabo… Isivuno sethu sihlala sizinzile, ku-€ 60 ngokwesilinganiso isigqebhezana ngasinye.
Ingabe ezinye izimakethe zaseYurophu zithinteka kakhulu kunezinye?
U-Harrison: Asizwani nomehluko omkhulu ukusuka emakethe eyodwa ukuya kwenye. E-UK, siyaqhubeka nokuthola amasheya emakethe njengoba iningi labaqhudelana nabo linciphisa ukunikezwa kwalo. E-Europe Emaphakathi, sibona ukwehla kwethrafikhi yabagibeli abavela e-Central/Eastern Europe abasebenza e-Ireland, e-UK noma e-Germany. Kodwa lokhu akuthinti ukukhula kwethu kunethiwekhi yethu yomhlaba wonke. Siyaqhubeka sikhula eqinisweni ezimakethe eziningi zaseYurophu njengeBerlin, Geneva, London, Lyon noma Paris.
Uyawabona amandla amaningi ezisekelo ezintsha eYurophu noma eNyakatho ne-Afrika, Ingabe uyawafuna futhi amasegimenti emakethe amasha?
U-Harrison: Ngokuqinisekile sizoqhubeka nokwanda ngezisekelo ezintsha e-Continental Europe njengoba imakethe yase-UK isivele ihlinzekwa kahle yithi. Angicabangi ukuthi isisekelo eNyakatho Afrika singaba yisixazululo esihle. Ukwenza isisekelo sisebenze izindlela zokundiza abagibeli ekuseni kakhulu. Kunzima ukukusebenzisa ngemakethe yokungcebeleka njengeNyakatho Afrika. Singathanda nokho ukuvula izinsiza phakathi kweJalimane neRussia naphakathi kweJalimane neTurkey. Nokho, zombili izimakethe zingaphansi kwezivumelwano eziqinile zamazwe amabili.
Ulindele ukuphela nini kwenhlekelele?
UHarrison: Ngicabanga ukuthi sizobhekana nezikhathi ezinzima okungenani ngomunye unyaka futhi singalindeli noma yikuphi ukululama okuqinile ngaphambi kwale kota.
