easyJet Considers Interlining with Longhaul Carriers

easyJet Chief Executive Officer Carolyn McCall says her airline has held discussions with various mainline longhaul operators over the possibility of interlining agreements.

"Many airlines have approached us about feeder flights," she told the Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung. "If it's workable and pragmatic, then we are absolutely ready to go ahead."

While McCall did not disclose their names, she described the talks as "very interesting and constructive".

The announcement echoes a similar disclosure made by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary last month in which he confirmed the Irish LCC had held talks with a number of carriers to feed Ryanair shorthaul traffic into their European longhaul hubs.

Among the carriers approached by Ryanair include Aer Lingus concerning feed into its Dublin Int'l hub, TAP Portugal and its Lisbon hub, and Norwegian and Virgin Atlantic concerning their London Gatwick base operations.