EasyJet announced it would provide discounted airfares to U.K. Ministry of Defence personnel

as part of a deal that "recognizes the government's significant buying power." EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall described the arrangement as "the first of what we hope will be a series of deals with public and private organizations secured by easyJet's new corporate sales force." According to MoD travel leader Lt. Colonel Mike Holmes, the new deal for the ministry "is the first of its kind with any low-cost carrier." According to easyJet, MoD personnel also will benefit from "substantial" excess baggage charges. The carrier, which noted the program would be managed by MoD travel services provider HRG, expects to carry 500,000 MoD passengers annually.