EasyJet to remove row of seats so it can fly with fewer crew

EasyJet plans to remove seats in some of its planes this summer as part of a strategy to cut the number of staff.

Employers across the economy have complained of difficulty recruiting staff at the salaries they are willing to pay, and airlines are struggling to meet the increased demand as international travel restarts in earnest after Covid-19 lockdowns.

One member of cabin crew is required for every 50 seats. easyJet will reduce the number of passengers it can carry from 156 to 150 by removing the final row of six seats on its smallest plane, the A319.

As many international destinations reopen to tourists from countries including the UK, airport and airline bosses are looking to hire thousands of staff to cope. There were restrictions on international travel in the UK in January.

The chief executive of easyJet has said that the company expects to reach near the level of passenger numbers in the summer.

EasyJet was forced to cancel hundreds of flights over the Easter holiday period due to staff sickness, which it blamed on a wave of Covid-19 infections in the UK.

Airlines can be liable for steep compensation bills if there is a cancellation within two weeks of the departure date. Airlines can be held responsible for staff shortages.

easyJet said in a statement that they will be operating their UK A319 fleet with a maximum of 150 passengers onboard and three crew.

This is an effective way of operating our fleet while building additional resilience and flexibility into our operation this summer where we expect to be back to near 2019 levels of flying.