Editing EasyJet (section)

===Origins and formation===
EasyJet has its roots in the business activity of [[Greeks|Greek]]-[[Greek Cypriots|Cypriot]] [[Stelios Haji-Ioannou]], who reportedly gained an interest in the aviation business after being approached as a potential [[investor]] in [[Virgin Atlantic]]'s Greek franchisee. Recognising a vacant niche in the market, Stelios decided to examine the prospects for launching his airline, having secured a commitment of a £5 million loan from his father.<ref name = "managementtoday">{{cite web |url = https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/uk-cheap-cheerful/article/410853 |title = UK: Cheap and cheerful |first = Rhymer |last = Rigby |publisher = managementtoday.co.uk |date = 1 August 1997}}</ref> While studying various business models in the industry, Stelios took a significant interest in the American operator [[Southwest Airlines]], which had successfully adopted the practice of price elasticity to be competitive with traditionally cheaper buses and attract customers that would not normally have considered air travel. This principle became a cornerstone of EasyJet's operations.<ref name = "managementtoday"/><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22888304 |title = Ryanair and Easyjet: The history of the peanut airlines |first = Charles |last = Miller |work = BBC News |date = 20 June 2013}}</ref>

In 1995, EasyJet was established by Stelios, being the first company in what would later become the [[EasyGroup]] conglomerate. Upon launch, it employed just 70 people; the company is based at [[London Luton Airport]], which was traditionally used only by [[Air charter|charter]] flights.<ref name = "managementtoday"/><ref name = "20 telegraph"/> To encourage the company, Luton Airport chose to give EasyJet free use of a {{convert|15000|sqft|m2|adj=on|abbr=off}} building for its headquarters, which it named ''EasyLand''; its management style typified minimal [[overhead (business)|overhead]], such as an early implementation of the [[paperless office]] concept.<ref name = "managementtoday"/> EasyJet initially operated a pair of [[wet lease]]d [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200]] aircraft, capable of seating 130 passengers. These were flown on two routes: Luton to [[Glasgow International Airport|Glasgow]] and [[Edinburgh Airport|Edinburgh]]. Early on, EasyJet operated as a ''paper airline'', the aircraft themselves being flown and maintained under a lease.<ref name = "managementtoday"/>

Early promotional activity focused on the airline's relatively low pricing compared to incumbent operators.<ref name="20 telegraph" /> Within its first year, EasyJet reportedly carried approximately 40,000 passengers.<ref name="20 telegraph" />

In April 1996, the first wholly owned aircraft was delivered to EasyJet, enabling the company's first international route, to [[Amsterdam]], which was operated in direct competition with rival airlines [[British Airways]] (BA) and [[Netherlands|Dutch]] [[flag carrier]] [[KLM]].<ref name = "managementtoday"/><ref name = "20 telegraph">{{cite web |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/EasyJet-at-20-the-low-cost-airline-then-and-now/ |title = EasyJet at 20: the low-cost airline, then and now |first = Oliver |last = Smith |work = The Telegraph|date = 10 November 2015}}</ref> Competitors responded to the emerging EasyJet in different ways; while BA was largely indifferent, KLM allegedly chose to respond with a [[predatory pricing]] [[Pricing strategies|strategy]] that led to an investigation by the [[European Union]] over unfair competitive practices.<ref name = "managementtoday"/> Despite commercial pressure from the emergent no-frills sector, traditional airlines have been unable to directly adopt similar practices to EasyJet due to vigorous protection of existing employee privileges by [[Trade union|union]]s.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11981524/Challenges-on-the-horizon-as-easyJet-turns-20.html |title = Challenges on the horizon as easyJet turns 20 |first = Ben |last = Martin |work = The Telegraph|date = 7 November 2015}}</ref>

EasyJet's aircraft were initially operated by [[GB Airways]] from November 1995 until July 1996 and subsequently by [[Air Foyle HeavyLift]] until October 1997, as EasyJet had not yet received its [[Air Operator's Certificate]].<ref name="KE">{{cite web |title=Key events in our history |publisher=EasyJet |url=http://www.EasyJet.com/EN/About/Information/infopack_keyevents.html |access-date=28 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126162937/http://www.easyjet.com/EN/About/Information/infopack_keyevents.html |archive-date=26 January 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=1996-07-03T00:00:00+01:00 |title=UK's easyJet expands services under Air Foyle AOC |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/uks-easyjet-expands-services-under-air-foyle-aoc/6510.article |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref>