EasyJet pilots say travel chaos could get worse this summer
Travel chaos could worsen during the summer, easyJet’s pilots have told the airline.
Members of the French SNPL pilots’ union working for the low-cost carrier sent a letter to chief executive Johan Lundgren arguing the situation will continue to worsen, as easyJet reported “unprecedented chaos” and “operational meltdowns” over the last few weeks, the i newspaper first reported the news.
EasyJet has cancelled more than 1,500 flights over the past three weeks, becoming one of the airlines that was hit the hardest by the shortage-induced travel chaos.
Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at UK airports on Wednesday after the company slashed 20 flights from Italy due to a strike called by Italian air traffic controllers.
To cope with labour shortages and guarantee services, the carrier last month slashed back row seats from its A319 planes, City PM reported.
“EasyJet continues to operate up to around 1,700 flights and to carry around a quarter of a million customers every day. However, the challenging operating environment continues to have an impact, which is resulting in a small proportion of flight cancellations,” an easyJet spokesperson said.
Things are expected to worsen not for all travellers, as the US has fully reopened its borders, cancelling the requirement of pre-Covid testing from tomorrow.
The news was welcomed by the wider industry, especially airlines.
“Frictionless transatlantic travel in both directions means reconnecting with loved ones and business colleagues is made even easier, supported by an onboard policy which allows our customers and people to make a personal choice on face masks,” said a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson.
“We can’t wait to see more of our customers flying with us to the US this summer.”