EasyJet cancellations will affect 1.5 million summer holidaymakers Business

Mr Lundgren said post-Brexit restrictions have forced easyJet to refuse 8,000 applications from European Union nationals to work for the airline, despite claims by aviation minister Robert Courts last week that they would quit the block was not to blame.

The easyJet chief insisted he ‘didn’t blame’ Brexit and admitted his company had not prepared for the impact of the UK’s exit from the European bloc.

Nonetheless, he said Brexit was having a negative impact on the airline’s pool of potential candidates.

The flight cuts this summer were announced as easyJet revealed it had canceled more than 4,000 flights in the three months to the end of June.

The action had to be taken to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenes which first emerged when the British flew out over the Easter holiday.

Mr Lundgren said: “Coupled with airport caps, we are taking preemptive action to increase resilience over the remainder of the summer, including a series of further flight consolidations at affected airports, advising the advance customers and we expect the vast majority to be re-booked on alternative flights within 24 hours.

The airline said it had taken action following unprecedented restrictions imposed by airports such as Gatwick and Amsterdam.
The carrier also blamed the delays on a government-supervised identity verification program that created a huge backlog in clearing new employees to start work.

Mr Lundgren said: “Providing a safe and reliable operation for our customers in this difficult environment is easyJet’s top priority and we are sorry that for some customers we have not been able to provide the service that they expect from us.

“We believe this is the right action to take so that we can deliver to all of our customers during the peak summer period in this difficult environment.

“In addition to the airport caps, we are taking preventative measures to increase resilience over the remainder of the summer, including a series of further flight consolidations at affected airports, giving customers advance notice, and we expect the vast majority to be re-booked on alternative flights within 24 hours.

With an average easyJet plane carrying 175 people and assuming each is 85 per cent full, around 1.5 million passenger flights are likely to be affected.

EasyJet’s shares have been hit harder than those of its rivals during the pandemic.