The Munich-based startup Flyla is a platform for cheap last-minute flight tickets exclusively for students and young people. In 2019, the travel tech company received fundingIn 2020, Flyla was temporarily put on hold due to the Covid pandemic. Interview with Munich Startup said Flyla CEO Ben Shaw in addition:
"In the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, no one knew how long the crisis would last. We were struggling with many refunds, but at the same time, we were at a peak in bookings. Putting Flyla into a coronavirus hibernation was therefore necessary. But it was actually difficult for us. At the beginning of last year, [2022, Editor's note] We started Flyla again: first with a new team. Then with new partnerships, a new booking process, and finally with new marketing approaches. All of this took time."
Triple airline partnerships
The plan appears to have worked: By the first half of 2023, Flyla had tripled its airline partnerships. Flights from more than 50 airlines can now be booked through the travel startup, 20 of which offer exclusive fares for students. According to the company, the number of airline partnerships is increasing monthly. TAP Portugal is Flyla's most recent partnership. Here, students save 5-10 percent on flights booked through Flyla on every route to and from Portugal.
"Many students are curious, cosmopolitan, interested in other countries and cultures, and accordingly keen to travel. We are convinced that it makes sense to support this interesting target group with attractive offers. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to working with Flyla,"
thinks Stefan Eiche, Market Manager Germany for TAP Portugal, in addition.
Exclusive deals for students
Students can save up to 80 percent of the cost compared to regular fares thanks to special student fares. On the airline side, Flyla also offers its partners the opportunity to optimize load factors by passing on unused seats to students, thus reducing the number of unused seats.
Flyla CEO Ben Shaw looks positively to the future:
"We are delighted that 20 airlines have already chosen us and that we are allowed to distribute their exclusive deals for students. And for the second half of 2023, more airlines are already lined up, with which we can continuously expand and further improve our offering."
