EasyJet appoints caretaker for marketing
EasyJet has appointed John Stephenson as interim commercial director while it rebuilds its senior marketing team.
Stephenson is easyJet’s revenue and scheduling manager, and steps up temporarily to replace Mike Cooper. His responsibilities include overseeing marketing. Cooper left the company last month to join Arriva Buses as managing director (MW March 24). He developed the airline’s first television campaign last year in support of its new strapline, “Come On, Let’s Fly” (MW October 7, 2004).
EasyJet head of marketing Alistair Buckle left in November and subsequently joined budget hotel chain Travelodge. Freelance Rebecca Butler is acting as interim head of marketing.
The low-cost airline is test-marketing a hand-held in-flight entertainment system that offers passengers games, films and TV programmes on its flights from Newcastle. The test is due to end next month.
Rival airline Ryanair has abandoned a similar test with a device called a digEplayer that it began in October (MW September 23, 2004). Observers suggest the bulk of Ryanair’s flights were too short for passengers to enjoy the devices and also there has been a change in the pricing that the film distributors offered the airline.
