Low cost carrier easyJet EZJ.L is to cancel more than 200 flights over the next 10 days due to airport delays and other restrictions, disrupting travel during the school holidays.
Details
The European airline has been hit by a string of problems since the removal of COVID restrictions led to a rebound in travel, with many British airports struggling to recruit enough ground staff while easyJet has also struggled with IT problems.
It recently removed six seats from some A319 aircraft to reduce the crew it needed by one.
It said in a statement that it would cancel approximately 24 flights a day from London's Gatwick Airport between 28 May and 6 June. It was forced to cancel approximately 200 flights on Thursday 26 May due an IT problem.
"We are very sorry for the late notice of some of these cancellations and inconvenience caused for customers booked on these flights however we believe this is necessary to provide reliable services over this busy period," it said.
"Customers are being informed from today and provided with the option to rebook their flight or receive a refund and can apply for compensation in line with regulations."
EasyJet "In Right Place" To Meet Demand For Summer Flights
The above news followed news that low-cost carrier easyJet EZJ.L said that it was "in the right place" to meet pent-up demand for summer flights, with bookings above pre-pandemic levels in the last 10 weeks and sold ticket yields for the fourth quarter 15% higher than in 2019.
Chief executive Johan Lundgren said that easyJet was "absolutely focused" on strengthening its operational resilience for the summer after it had to cancel flights at Easter because of crew absences.
Speaking after the British company reported a first-half loss of £545 million, in line with guidance, Lundgren said easyJet was managing the fastest post-pandemic ramp-up of any airline.
He said 76% of its third-quarter capacity had been sold, while 36% had been sold for the fourth quarter, when easyJet plans to fly 97% of its pre-pandemic schedule.
Lundgren said that easyJet had taken action to avoid a repeat of the problems it saw around Easter.
It has, for example, removed six seats from some A319 aircraft to reduce the crew requirement by one.
"We can put the seats back in at any point of time if the situation changes, but just to make sure that we're in a good place for resilience this summer, it's an action we have taken," he told reporters.
EasyJet did not provide financial guidance for the second half, but said higher fuel and the dollar exchange rate were "layering additional costs", although it had a "very good" hedging position in both cases.
The carrier is approximately 71% hedged for fuel in its second half at $619 per metric tonne, compared with a spot price earlier this week of approximately $1,225.
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