EasyJet’s Rail Deal Highlights New Airline Sector Way of Selling Trains and Flights
Photo Credit: Deutsche Bahn recently launched the Flughafen-Express, an airport express service run by DB Regio Nordost between downtown Berlin stops and Berlin's new airport (BER) Terminal 1-2 on behalf of the VBB (Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg). EasyJet and Deutsche Bahn have begun selling combination tickets that include flights and rail using a new airline method, virtual interlining. Deutsche Bahn
Skift Take
Airlines need to work more closely with railway operators to fend off climate change activists. But they also need to test new technological ways of selling content from other suppliers. Let's think beyond joint ventures, codeshares, and interlining.
EasyJet and Deutsche Bahn began selling in late July combination tickets that include flights and rail travel, Skift has learned. The deal is notable for a behind-the-scenes aspect. Europe's second-biggest discount airline is using a new method to sell the tickets from the German railway operator.
"It's going to send shockwaves in the industry because rail is finally sexy," said Ann Cederhall of LeapShift, a UK-based travel brand retailing consultancy.
Other carriers, such as Air France, Avianca, and Vueling, are also embracing this method to sell long-haul flights from other providers.
But rail is a hot topic. Airlines are paying renewed attention to rail partnerships after the French government required cuts to domestic flights in exchange for billions in state aid during the pandemic and Germany is looking at parallel steps in demanding minimum flight prices to discourage cheap short-haul flights. The countries want to encourage train travel, which is believed to generate
