Eurostar back on track on its routes

Eurostar is picking up speed again after a critical period during the health crisis which saw its activity virtually come to a halt and required recapitalisation by its shareholders. Its range of frequencies has been increased to 7 daily return flights between Paris and London and 4 return flights on the Paris-Brussels route, with two continuing on to Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. " We have been pleasantly surprised by the upturn in business and leisure traffic, which will enable us to add frequencies during the All Saints' Day and Christmas holidays." notes François Le Doze, Eurostar's Commercial Director. However, the cross-Channel carrier is still a long way from its pre-Covid level, when it operated 15 return services between Paris and London (and even 19 at peak times) and 9 return services between London and Brussels. " Load factors still lower than 2019" admits the company manager, who is banking on more flexible health regulations at the end of the month to boost sales.

On the other hand, the fact that a passport is now required to set foot in the UK poses no particular problem for business customers. Companies operating in the luxury goods, banking, auditing and consulting sectors have thus resumed their travels for internal meetings, sales meetings, trade fairs and events. " We are clearly at a time when companies want to reconnect with their customers." observes François Le Doze. Enough to fill up the Business Premier at certain times of the day, which is back on board with its pre-crisis service standards. However, regulars will have to wait until early 2022 to find the cocktail bar in the business lounges of London and Paris.

Giving choice back to business passengers

The increase in the number of frequencies means that business customers can once again make a return trip during the day on the different routes, and Business Premier passengers can easily change trains. " Offer and flexibility remain key criteria for business customers." he stresses. By offering commercial advantages, key accounts are encouraged to get their staff back on the trains and to make more journeys, if possible in higher classes. On the other hand, the Eurostar for Business platform is preferred for working with SMEsa segment that has long been under the company's radar. " The tool enables us to understand their expectations and offer them dedicated facilities and benefits." he adds.

As with the SNCF and other international subsidiaries such as Lyria and Thalys, the environmental benefits of rail travel in terms of reduction in CO2 emissions are clearly being promoted to companies. The figure of 80% less emissions compared with air travel is now systematically put forward at the highest level of the group, in the image of Jean-Pierre Farandou, the CEO of the SNCF. At Eurostar, companies that still make their employees travel are clearly being targeted. by plane between London and the Netherlands.

While it seems clear that major companies will be reviewing their travel policies in the wake of the health crisis, the carrier believes it has a card to play in terms of decarbonising business travel and gain market share. Eurostar hopes to return to 90 % of its pre-pandemic business traffic by 2023. Certain unknowns remain, however, such as the future role of teleworking and videoconferencing.

Eurostar-Thalys merger on track

Businesses could also be attracted by the planned merger with Thalys, as it will provide passengers with additional travel and connection opportunities. It is also a guarantee of fluidity for the carrier around Thalys.A single strong brand - EurostarA single mobile application, a single loyalty programme and a single sales team to negotiate contracts. The result will undoubtedly be new price offers. " We will be able to combine our strengths in terms of resources, fleet, purchasing... This merger is clearly a growth project which will enable us to be more aggressive in five countries with a better understanding of the specific features of these different markets" concludes François Le Doze.

Here, too, there is one unknown factor: what the long-term impact of Brexit will beAnd what about the health crisis? According to the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, nearly 1.3 million expatriates have left the UK since the summer of 2019, including 700,000 for Greater London. This represents a significant loss of frequent travellers between the British capital and its European neighbours.