easyJet

UK-based easyJet is launching a share placement worth up to £450 million ($558 million), in the budget carrier’s latest move to shore up its finances since the COVID-19 crisis took hold.

EasyJet is this week operating about 33 routes to destinations in Europe, but a sharp network expansion is planned next month.

A weekly round-up of the latest news from the aviation industry as airlines and airports begin to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

ASL Airlines France, which specialises in flights between France and North Africa, will tomorrow open a new domestic scheduled passenger route.

Ryanair, British Airways and easyJet have written to the UK government to condemn its decision to introduce a 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK as part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Routes’ latest Europe market round-up, featuring new route launches, capacity changes and news.

EasyJet has said it will have resumed flights to almost three-quarters of its route network by the end of August as London City Airport (LCY) said separately that it would reopen at the end of June as COVID-19 lockdowns are lifted.

EasyJet has said it will reduce staff numbers by 30% and by the end of 2021 have a fleet of around 302 aircraft, 51 fewer than planned before the COVID-19 crisis.

As the LCC returns to the skies on June 15 the focus is “profitable flying” on British and French domestic routes.

EasyJet has said its finance director Andrew Findlay will step down in a year’s time in the latest twist in an ongoing dispute between management and the LCC’s founder and biggest shareholder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou has failed in his bid to oust four senior directors in protest against the LCC’s Airbus order, meaning the board can focus fully on easyJet’s gradual flight relaunch from June 15.

The UK LCC's founder had sought to retake control of the carrier.

EasyJet has enough liquidity to withstand a lengthy grounding of its fleet and could restart flying with as little as two weeks’ notice once the COVID-19 crisis has eased, according to a trading update from the airline.

UK-based ULCC easyJet has deferred deliveries of 24 Airbus A320neo-series aircraft as it seeks to maximize its liquidity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Routes' weekly update on how airlines and airports across Europe are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK government will spend up to £75 million ($93 million) to repatriate citizens with the help of easyJet, Jet2.com, Titan Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

UK LCC easyJet has grounded its entire fleet in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Irish LCC Ryanair continues to operate just 10% of its aircraft.

Having originally planned to operate more than 12,000 flights this week, easyJet has now fully grounded its entire fleet of aircraft amid the COVID-19 crisis.

EasyJet founder and shareholder Stelios Haji-Ioannou is insisting that the UK LCC cancel its Airbus order and slim its fleet down to 250 aircraft.

Routes' weekly update on how airlines and airports across Europe are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ryanair does not expect to operate any flights through April or May while fellow European ULCCs Wizz Air and easyJet have grounded the majority of their fleet.

Air France-KLM, EasyJet, International Airlines Group and Ryanair all said they will cut most of their flights in the coming days as travel restrictions push demand for air transport close to zero.

UK LCC EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren expects to see more airline bankruptcies as carriers continue to deal with falling demand and cashflow as a result of the continuing COVID-19 outbreak.

UK LCC easyJet is taking steps to cut back on discretionary costs in a bid to offset the expected impact of the COVID-19 virus on operations as demand slows.

Stansted’s management expressed disappointment in the decision.