By Kristy Dorsey
About 600 Scottish-based flight and cabin crew have been grounded along with the entire easyJet fleet as the budget carrier has suspended all commercial flights in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
EasyJet said 4,000 of its 9,000 UK staff will be placed on furlough for an initial two-month period starting from April 1. Parking all of its 344 planes “removes significant cost” as the Lurton-based carrier struggles along with the rest of the aviation industry to cope with the near-total collapse of air travel.
EasyJet employs approximately 600 flight and cabin crew based out of Scotland, where it normally runs 71 routes out of Edinburgh and Glasgow. It has nine planes based at Edinburgh Airport, and five based at Glasgow Airport.
Since cancelling most of its services earlier this month, easyJet has been running rescue flights to repatriate Britons stranded abroad. The company said it had made ore than 650 of these runs to date, bringing home more than 45,000 customers.
The last of these returned on Sunday, though easyJet said it will continue to work with government bodies to operate additional rescue flights as required.
“I am extremely proud of the way in which people across easyJet have given their absolute best at such a challenging time, including so many crew who have volunteered to operate rescue flights to bring our customers home,” chief executive Johan Lundgren said.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure that easyJet continues to be well-positioned to overcome the challenges of coronavirus.”
The company said there could be no certainty at this stage when flights might resume. The situation will remain under constant review based on regulations and demand, with a further update when easyJet has a better view.
The announcement by easyJet came as Scottish regional carrier Loganair said it would be seeking further Government assistance in the coming days.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Loganair chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said it was “fair” that the Government insist airlines turn to their shareholders and lenders as a first port of call.
“But if you can’t bridge the gap after that, only then can you come and talk to us,” he said of the Government’s guidance. “That was very much the message.
“But I do think like the vast majority of UK airlines we will be going back to take up that invite for further conversation with the Treasury in the coming days because we have to.”
EasyJet said it continues to maintain a strong balance sheet, and is in on-going discussions with liquidity providers “who recognise our strength of balance sheet and business model”.
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