December 13th, 2023, Bhavika Bansal
Though a myriad of options exist at the disposal of Britons who wish to book budget flights, Ryanair and EasyJet remain, according to data from BrandIndex, the two airlines who attract most business from British fliers.
While both carriers have etched their place in the minds of British budget fliers, an analysis of the two giants’ brand health for the last half year, between June 12 and December 11, 2023, using YouGov BrandIndex shows us that from Impression to Purchase Intent, EasyJet outshines Ryanair across six key measures. The most significant gaps can be seen in the brands’ Value scores (Ryanair, -0.7, EasyJet, 24.4), Satisfaction scores (Ryanair, -5.5, EasyJet, 38.1) and Recommendation scores (Ryanair, -23.3, EasyJet, 8).
But what is it that makes EasyJet the more preferred airline amongst Britons despite Ryanair’s similarly competitive pricing? What changes or additional benefits, if any, can Ryanair adapt and extend to it fliers to enhance their experience and improve their scores?
A new YouGov Surveys: Self-Serve survey seeks to answer these questions. Conducted using Self-Serve's unique 'Customers of' functionality – which allows marketers to quickly, easily and cheaply survey their competitors’ customers and ask them (within reason) whatever they want - the poll studies the opinions of EasyJet customers and provides insights into what, apart from ticket prices, makes their flying experience better.
When it comes to executing a marketing strategy, understanding why your competitors’ customers are choosing them over you can be just as valuable as knowing your own brand’s strengths.
Competitive analysis can help marketers understand exactly how satisfied customers of a rival brand are, as well as what they perceive as its shortcomings, allowing you to position your brand or product in the right place to take advantage.
In just a few clicks, you can target an audience of your choice, selecting from customers of one (or more) of 1,500 brands in UK or 2,200 brands in US, and then create your custom poll using our easy survey builder. Within 24 hours, you could have the answers that make the difference between failure and success for your upcoming product launch, brand campaign or crisis management strategy.
What influences EasyJet’s customers when choosing a budget airline?
A closer look at our polled EasyJet customers who intend to take a short, medium or long-haul flight in the next 12 months reveals that flight schedule (71%) is one of the top factors taken into consideration when booking a budget airline. That’s followed by baggage allowance (64%) and the availability of non-stop flights (56%).
While nearly half of respondents say that the overall boarding process (46%) and an airline’s reputation (45%) influence their choice of a budget carrier, 36% say they factor in seating comfort.
On the other hand, chosen by just a tenth of customers, in-flight amenities like WiFi and in-flight dining options (10% and 8%) bring up the rear of the list.
How important are flight timings to EasyJet customers when compared to price?
Flight timings and baggage policies are clearly important factors that drive EasyJet customers’ choices. But how do these fare when pitted directly against the prospect of greater savings on ticket prices?
Four out of five respondents say they would be willing to fly before 8 AM or after 10 PM if tickets were cheaper than in the day (81%).
While nine out of ten 18-to-34-year-old customers agree, our older respondents are much less likely to do so - with a third saying they would be unwilling to compromise on flight schedules even if it meant saving money (32%).
How important are baggage policies to EasyJet customers when compared to price?
EasyJet customers, however, seem less willing to compromise when it comes to baggage policies.
While 8% of customers say a budget airline’s baggage policies are more important than ticket prices, for more than two-thirds, baggage policies are as important as cheap tickets (68%). Given their importance in the overall flight experience, greater baggage allowance and cheaper excess baggage fees can quite possibly be a game changer for budget airlines like Ryanair looking to improve their standing amongst customers.
Do EasyJet customers associate cheaper tickets with greater airline troubles?
Defined by chaos on the runway, from sticky weather conditions and overcrowding to technical snafus and outright cancellations, 2023 wasn’t a particularly great year for travellers. But do customers associate an increased likelihood of airline issues with budget airlines?
Though an eighth of our respondents ‘strongly agree’ (12%) and more than a third ‘somewhat agree’ (36%) that cheaper tickets mean greater flight issues, a substantial share of customers remains neutral (27%).
Coupled with an analysis of the results from our YouGov Surveys: Self-serve market research, EasyJet’s high rankings amongst customers and Ryanair’s low brand health scores are a clear indication that Britons judge budget airlines by more than just the cheapness of their tickets.
Evidently, better baggage policies, a more streamlined check-in and boarding process, stronger channels of communication, more prompt customer service, and quicker solutions for cancelled or delayed flights , can all aid Ryanair, already known for its great deals and convenient point-to-point operations, outshine its major competitors like EasyJet and grab a larger share of the market.
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Methodology: YouGov polled 250 UK adults who are customers of EasyJet online on December 8, 2023. The survey was carried out through YouGov Surveys: Self-serve. Data is weighted by age, gender, race, political affiliation, education level and region. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Self-serve.