KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' new low-cost carrier, Buzz takes to the skies this week, injecting a fresh dose of competition into Europe's booming budget airline market.
Buzz will start flying to seven European destinations - Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan, Lyon, Paris and Vienna - from London's Stansted Airport tomorrow, carrying an initial batch of what it hopes will be one million passengers in its first year of operation.
The airline - whose fleet sports a yellow, green and purple livery - was unveiled by KLM last September and is the latest entrant into the fastest-growing segment of Europe's airline industry.
British and Irish airlines are leading the pack of low-cost carriers which have burst onto Europe's skies in the last two years after the airline market was deregulated, letting carriers fix fares and compete freely on intra-EU routes.
Analysts say the industry is likely to triple in the next five years and that there is room for new entrants if they can keep costs down in areas such as distribution, salary structures and airport fees.
With Buzz's arrival, direct competition will be increased on travel from London Stansted to Milan and Lyon - routes also served by British Airways' low-cost airline Go. The Frankfurt market will also be larger, as Ireland's Ryanair serves Hahn Airport west of the German financial capital.
So far, Buzz's fares are in line with that of its main competitors and the new airline's presence is likely to further fuel the heated rivalry in the budget airline industry.
However, analysts do not expect fares to go much lower than current levels - as fixed costs are high in the airline industry, even for no-frills carriers.
Like other low-cost carriers, travel on Buzz will be ticketless and passengers have to buy snacks and drinks. Like Go and Ryanair, Buzz will fly from Stansted, considerably increasing competition at that airport.
Unlike most of its rivals, however, the airline plans to fly to primary airports in European cities.
This strategy - which analysts say means incurring greater costs than flying to smaller airports farther away from city centres - is aimed at tapping into what industry members say is a growing market for cost-conscious business travellers.
Buzz hopes to attract customers with low fares and pay-as-you-go options, including fast-track passage through security and access to a business lounge with lap-tops, newspapers and drinks for an additional £10 sterling.
The airline, which was launched with £7.5 million in marketing and livery, claimed seat sales of about £1 million in the first four weeks of business which started at the end of October. It aims to break even two years after its launch.
