EasyJet’s call for government support for Covid-hit airlines echoes a need from across the entire aviation industry, according to the Unite union.
The UK budget carrier’s chief executive Johan Lundgren urged ministers to “urgently step up” with a bespoke package of measures to ensure airlines are able to support economic recovery.
The call came as the airline projected annual losses of up to £845 million on Thursday.
Unite national officer for aviation Oliver Richardson said: “EasyJet’s financial predicament is the opposite of an isolated call, aviation companies across the UK, from airlines to airports and throughout its supply chain, are crying out for bespoke support.
“The chancellor first promised sector specific support to the aviation industry in March, seven long months ago. An aviation recovery plan was first mooted over a month ago, but neither have materialised.
“As a consequence tens of thousands of jobs have already been needlessly lost and even more jobs are hanging in the balance.”
He added: “The government must up its game and provide targeted sector specific support that has strict strings attached to preserve jobs, protect the communities which rely on aviation for their economic prosperity and ensure that regional and national connectivity is first secured and then enhanced.”
Unite, together with the TUC and all aviation unions is calling for the government to undertake the “economic and fiscal measures” needed to support the sector, including:
*The extension of, and modifications to, the coronavirus job retention [furlough] scheme to protect employment in the aviation sector
*Suspension of Air Passenger Duty
*Public service obligation routes to ensure regional connectivity
*Business rate relief for airports (as in Scotland and Northern Ireland)
*Extending the period of repayment of loans to aviation companies beyond the current two year maximum.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “The travel industry has taken a battering as a result of the pandemic, and this update from EasyJet should be a huge cause for concern for the future of travel.
“While airlines have rightly been criticised for illegally withholding refunds from customers for cancelled flights, many might have avoided doing so if support for the industry had been made available.
“Which? has long been calling for support for airlines and holiday operators to ensure they can meet their obligations to customers through this difficult period.
“The government must urgently confirm how it intends to help this struggling industry, to prevent carriers ordinarily in good financial health from unnecessarily going under.”