EasyJet confirms closure of three UK bases

Southend will be most affected, with all easyJet flights ceasing from 1 September. Some services will continue from Stansted and Newcastle served by crews and aircraft based elsewhere. The changes follow the completion of statutory redundancy consultation over plans to cut 1,900 jobs.

An easyJet spokesperson said: "In June we announced the beginning of the UK consultation where up to 1,900 UK jobs could be at risk. We proposed at that stage that three bases would be closed. Today we have confirmed that the bases will close. At these three bases 670 pilots and crew are based.

"We have not finished the consultation – just the collective part of the process – and so we cannot confirm the total number, although we know it will be lower than 1,900 and most will leave on enhanced voluntary redundancy terms. The 670 is included in the 1,900."

Services that will continue are Newcastle to Bristol, Belfast and Nice plus Stansted to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Amsterdam.

The carrier is offering to switch passengers to any easyJet flight until 30 September 2021, with “reasonable” costs of travelling to another airport reimbursed. Full refunds will also be given.

Johan Lundgren, easyJet chief executive, said: “We have had to take the very difficult decision to close three UK bases as a result of the unprecedented impact of the pandemic and related travel restrictions, compounded by quarantine measures in the UK which is impacting demand for travel.

“Working closely with our employee representatives, I am pleased that we have been able to identify ways to significantly reduce the number of proposed compulsory redundancies through providing enhanced voluntary redundancy packages for all UK crew alongside additional options like part time and seasonal contracts, base transfers and unpaid leave, which we expect to result in reducing the number of job losses overall.”