EasyJet is to offer cabin crew a £1,000 bonus at the end of the summer season as carriers seek to retain and recruit staff.
The payments would reportedly acknowledge crews’ contributions to what the budget airline expects to be a busy summer, with travel at near pre-Covid levels.
The reward matches a £1,000 golden handshake being offered by British Airways for training staff to join from rival carriers.
However, easyJet’s award will also be paid to its current crew, according to the Mail on Sunday.
The move comes as the airline increased its hiring target from 1,500 to 1,700.
An easyJet spokesperson said the carrier “will be paying its cabin crew a recognition payment at the end of the summer season to recognise their contribution to the operation this summer, which is expected to be back at near 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic”.
EasyJet last week confirmed that it planned to take out the back row of seats on some aircraft so they could fly with three cabin crew instead of four. This would still comply with Civil Aviation Authority rules.
The aviation regulator wrote to airports last month expressing concern over the impact of staff shortages following delays at security.
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