‘Last chance’ to save aviation sector, easyJet boss says after flights cut

By Benjamin Cooper, PA

The chief executive officer of easyJet has said the UK Government faces its “last chance” to save the struggling aviation sector after the airline announced it was cutting flights over the latest quarantine changes.

The UK’s largest airline said on Tuesday it will reduce its schedule as “customer confidence to make travel plans has been negatively affected” following the decision to impose restrictions for seven Greek islands.

Johan Lundgren wrote in the Daily Mail that the targeted approach came “too little and too late” after the the summer peak period.

He said the “constant raft of quarantine requirements and changes has eroded consumer confidence with all airlines now facing the prospect of a very difficult winter without having been able to rebuild our financial strength over the summer”.

There was, however, still time for the UK Government to follow the lead of others in Europe by supporting the industry to “build back more sustainably”, Mr Lundgren said.

He called for the removal of passenger taxes and a winter furlough scheme “so we can retain as many of our high-skilled workers as possible”.

“This is the last chance to save the UK airline industry and ensure it is as vibrant and competitive after Covid as it was before. I hope the Government takes it,” he added.

Mr Lundgren is one of a host of aviation and travel industry leaders calling on the Government to commit to a coronavirus testing regime to reduce self-isolation requirements.