As the holidays approach, airlines are facing “operational difficulties” which include “delays in traffic control and staff shortages”, explains Easyjet.
The British low-cost carrier Easyjet announced on Monday a reduction in its transport capacity this summer due to an acute shortage of staff, in order to avoid chaos at airports like in recent weeks. “There will be a cost of impact” of these measures, warns Easyjet without further details even if it affirms that the medium-term prospects remain “attractive“, According to a press release. The group also stresses that reservations remain “strong”, with those for the fourth quarter similar to their pre-pandemic level of fiscal 2019.
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The British carrier is now expecting for its staggered third quarter, which ends on June 30, on a transport capacity of 87% of the levels of the 2019 financial year, against 90% planned until then. This represents 140,000 flights for 22 million passengers, and 550% of capacity for the same period in the 2021 financial year, when the restrictions linked to the pandemic still paralyzed most traffic. In the fourth quarter, which ends on September 30, the transport capacity is expected to be around 90% of the level of the 2019 financial year, against 97% until then.
“Operational Difficulties”
Given the accelerationunprecedented“of traffic in the first half of 2022 thanks to the lifting of health restrictions, “aviation in Europe faces operational difficulties» which include «delays in traffic control and staff shortages” in airports, which leads to delays and cancellations in series, justifies Easyjet. “A very tight labor market for the entire sector, including cabin crew and increasing times to verify identitiesapplicants for aviation jobs are undermining efforts to fast-track the supply, she adds. “This is reflected in recently announced flight limits at two of our largest airports, Gatwick in London, and Amsterdam», stresses Easyjet.
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Gatwick notably announced on Friday that it was limiting the number of daily flights in July and August to avoid a repeat of the chaos at airports in recent weeks. Easyjet expects to be able to fly most affected travelers on alternative flights, “many on the same day as originally booked», and promises to warn its customers in advance. Low-cost rival Ryanair, which is trying to recover travelers who have been victims of flight cancellations, said it had set up 200 additional flights on Monday from 19 British airports to Europe.
“While British Airways, Easyjet and TUI cancel thousands of flights disrupting the holiday plans of British families, Ryanair is operating more than 15,000 flights a week and adding more than 1,000 for July and August,” the British airline added. according to a press release. The action fell 2.40% to 426.50 pence at the start of trading on the London Stock Exchange. Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Sophie Lund-yates notes that “these plans will extend the (post-pandemic) recovery for Easyjet“, with costs”huge» the rise in power of the offer. She notes, however, that “the trend is positive and the demand for travel is there“.
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