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EasyJet flights stopped as the operator grounds its entire fleet due to coronavirus crisis


By Ian Duncan

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EasyJet has grounded its entire fleet in the wake of the coranvirus pandemic.
EasyJet has grounded its entire fleet in the wake of the coranvirus pandemic.

EasyJet has grounded its entire fleet in the wake of the coranvirus pandemic.

The firm operates flights out of Scottish airports including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen as well as Inverness.

It has insisted that it has a strong balance sheet and says it is currently in ongoing discussions with liquidity providers.

It has also been announced that an agreement has been reached with the Unite union on furlough arrangements for cabin crews – the deal, which is effective from Wednesday, covers a two-month period, with staff paid 80 per cent of their salary through the government's job retention scheme.

Johan Lundgren, EasyJet's chief executive, said: "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.

"We are working tirelessly to ensure that EasyJet continues to be well positioned to overcome the challenges of coronavirus."

EasyJet operated more than 650 flights to get people home who were stranded abroad because of the Covid-19 virus.

Jonathan Hinkles, Loganair's chief executive, has said the pandemic has "had an enormous effect on all UK airlines".

He said: "The government has made it clear that it is open to requests for support from individual airlines and, whilst Loganair has not yet taken up this invite, we fully expect to join other UK airlines in doing so in the coming days."

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he will not create a specific support package for the aviation industry but that the government was prepared to enter into negotiations with individual firms once they had exhausted other options.


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