The Inside Story of Europe's First Budget Airline | easyJet Founder

Nov 25, 2025
49 mins

Episode Description

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou joins us from Monaco to revisit the moment easyJet was created, beginning with the 1994 launch, where he persuaded his father to back his idea for a new kind of airline. He reflects on the early years of bold marketing stunts, legal battles with British Airways, and a fierce rivalry with Ryanair that pushed him to keep costs low, move fast and build a brand the public instantly recognised.


Stelios speaks openly about the pressure of running a young airline, the mistakes that almost derailed it, and the key decisions that shaped its future, including adopting the internet early and expanding the "easy" name into hundreds of businesses. He also shares how this success now fuels his philanthropic mission.


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