Easyjet has further reduced its planned capacity for the quarter, following recent lockdown and travel restrictions announced in the UK, France and Germany.
Last month Easyjet announced the first annual losses in the carrier’s 25-year history, and said it was forecasting to operate just 25 per cent of capacity in the first quarter of 2021.
But following the UK government’s decision to impose a four-week lockdown in England, as well as banning holidays being taken for leisure purposes, the low-cost airline said that it “now expects to fly no more than c.20 per cent of planned capacity for Q1 of Financial Year 2021”.
A statement in the Travel Information section of the carrier’s website currently says:
“Following the lockdown restrictions put in place by the UK Government between Thursday November 5 and Wednesday December 2, we will not be able to operate many of our flights to and from the UK during this period.
“Easyjet flights will continue as planned up to, and including, Thursday November 5. However, between Friday November 6 and Sunday November 8, we will start to operate a reduced schedule, helping to repatriate customers who need to return home.
“After Sunday November 8, our schedule will be reduced further with just a core schedule of domestic and limited international services operating.”
More information on options available to customers affected by the announcement can be seen here.
In other news, Easyjet has also announced the sale and leaseback of 11 A320 aircraft, raising around £130.7 million.
The deals with two parties follows similar agreements in recent months – since the summer Easyjet has sold and leased back a total of 43 aircraft, reducing its percentage of owned and unencumbered aircraft from 50 per cent to around 41 per cent.
The carrier said that it “will continue to review its liquidity position on a regular basis and will continue to assess further funding options, including those that exist in the robust sale and leaseback market”.
