EASYJET has cut 1,400 UK jobs since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the airline confirmed today.
It comes after the company warned of plans to axe up to 30% of its 15,000 workforce last May.
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At the time, it was reported that up to 4,500 members of staff could lose their jobs.
A spokesperson for the airline today told The Sun it has reached agreements with unions in the UK for affected staff.
The majority of UK-based pilots also now have seasonal contracts, while the majority of staff are currently on furlough.
We’ve asked if there have been job cuts for EasyJet staff based outside the UK, or if future cuts are planned, and we’ll update this article when we know more.
Coronavirus job cuts in the travel industry
THE travel industry has been severely impacted by the coronavirus crisis as fewer people head abroad:
- British Airways announced plans in April 2020 to cut up to 12,000 members of staff. More than 6,000 workers have applied for voluntary redundancy, according to an update from the airline in August 2020.
- Ryanair confirmed that up to 3,250 jobs could be slashed in an announcement on May 2020, while staff face 20% pay cuts.
- TUI warned 8,000 jobs could go in an update in May 2020, which would amount to 30% of its entire workforce.
- easyJet announced plans to axe around 4,500 jobs in May 2020 as part of plans to reduce its workforce by 30%.
- Virgin Atlantic confirmed it has cut around 4,125 jobs in an update in September 2020. It comes despite billionaire boss Richard Branson securing a £1.2billion rescue deal.
- Jet2 said it’s making 102 pilots redundant in an update in August 2020 after talks aimed at saving jobs failed.
- Flybe collapsed into administration on March 5. The airline had been losing money for several months but coronavirus was understood to have had a severe impact on bookings.
- Gatwick Airport said it will cut 600 jobs in August 2020 – around a quarter of its workforce – due to coronavirus.
- Heathrow Airport asked 2,500 people to accept pay cuts in September 2020, or half may lose jobs.
- City Airport revealed plans to cut 239 jobs in September 2020.
In its update today, EasyJet also confirmed it expects to operate no more than 10% of its flight between January and March due to on-going travel restrictions.
The budget airline said its revenues plunged 88% at the end of last year, with turnover slumping to £165 million.
It flew just 18% of its normal schedule in the three months to the end of December, which saw the second coronavirus lockdown in England and tighter curbs on travel.
But the group said it is planning for a surge in “pent-up demand” for travel once restrictions begin to lift and as vaccinations are extended.
The group said it had cut its cash burn to £40million a week in a fully grounded scenario due to cost-cutting efforts.
In May last year, EasyJet told The Sun it employs 15,000 full-time members of staff.
At the time, it couldn’t say whether future job cuts would impact full-time employees, part-time employees, or both.
Chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “Our performance in the period was in line with management expectations, despite more stringent restrictions coming into place.
“We have taken the right actions to emerge leaner with a reduced cost base, and the retrenchment of legacy carriers at key airports will provide additional opportunities for easyJet.”
He added: “The key to unlocking travel is going to be the vaccination programmes combined with governments progressively removing restrictions when it is safe to.
“And, in the meantime, our flexible industry-leading policies mean that customers can make plans and book with confidence.”
EasyJet isn’t the only airline to have suffered job losses due to coronavirus.
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Virgin Atlantic cut another 1,150 jobs in September 2020 despite £1.2billion rescue plan approval.
Gatwick has also announced plans to cut 600 jobs – almost a quarter of its workers due to coronavirus.
Ryanair confirmed that up to 3,250 jobs could be slashed while staff face 20% pay cuts.
EasyJet slumps to first ever full-year loss in 25-year history due to coronavirus
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
