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| EasyJet chief defends Champions League final flight costs | EasyJet chief defends Champions League final flight costs |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| EasyJet's chief executive, Johan Lundgren, has defended his airline's high ticket prices to fly to Madrid for the Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool on 1 June. | EasyJet's chief executive, Johan Lundgren, has defended his airline's high ticket prices to fly to Madrid for the Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool on 1 June. |
| Football fans complained to BBC Radio 5 live that flights around that date cost £1,000 instead of £250 normally. | Football fans complained to BBC Radio 5 live that flights around that date cost £1,000 instead of £250 normally. |
| But Mr Lundgren said the price was higher than average because there had been an "enormous" surge in demand. | But Mr Lundgren said the price was higher than average because there had been an "enormous" surge in demand. |
| "That is actually how the system works," he said. | "That is actually how the system works," he said. |
| Mr Lundgren said 42 million people had flown with the airline over the winter season, with 65% of them paying £50 or less. | Mr Lundgren said 42 million people had flown with the airline over the winter season, with 65% of them paying £50 or less. |
| "The whole pricing picture is very dynamic," he said, adding that at peak booking times, EasyJet could fill a plane in six seconds. | "The whole pricing picture is very dynamic," he said, adding that at peak booking times, EasyJet could fill a plane in six seconds. |
| "That's how quickly this goes and this is how the system reacts." | "That's how quickly this goes and this is how the system reacts." |
| Mr Lundgren added: "I can understand if people think that the prices are high on this occasion, because it is higher than the average. | Mr Lundgren added: "I can understand if people think that the prices are high on this occasion, because it is higher than the average. |
| "But there's no doubt that this was an occasion where the prices went very high because the demand was enormous." | "But there's no doubt that this was an occasion where the prices went very high because the demand was enormous." |
| He maintained that in comparison with other airlines, EasyJet was still offering lower prices, despite the huge increase. | He maintained that in comparison with other airlines, EasyJet was still offering lower prices, despite the huge increase. |
| What are the options? | |
| If you want to fly from Liverpool to Madrid on 31 May, it will cost you £750 one-way. There are no flights available on the day of the match itself, while return flights on 2 and 3 June are sold out. | |
| For Spurs fans, EasyJet flights from London Gatwick to Madrid are sold out on 1 June, but seats are still available the day before, at prices ranging from £350 to £750. | |
| All return flights are sold out on 2 June, but evening flights are still available on 3 June, with prices starting at £510. | |
| Seats on early morning flights from London Luton to Madrid on 1 June are selling at £750. Returns on 2 June are sold out, but you could come back on 3 June for £550. | |
| Other airlines are, of course, available. A typical Gatwick-to-Madrid economy fare on British Airways on the morning of 1 June will set you back £709, but that price drops to just £46 for an evening flight - which would get you in too late to see the match. | |
| Mr Lundgren's comments came after EasyJet reported a loss of £275m in the six months to the end of March, compared with a £68m loss in the same period a year earlier. | |
| The airline said cost per seat had gone up 3.9% due to fuel price increases and the impact of currency movements, while revenue per seat had fallen by 6.3% to £50.71. | |
| Easyjet also said had it suffered from "the impact of drones at Gatwick in December", which it said had cost it £10m. | |
| In April, EasyJet had warned about "weak" summer sales amid Brexit uncertainty. | |
| In its latest results, the carrier said revenue per seat in the second half of the year would be slightly lower. | |
| "This is not helped by the ongoing negative impact of Brexit-related market uncertainty as well as a wider macroeconomic slowdown in Europe," it said. | |
| How are you getting to the Champions League final and what are the costs? Tell us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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