Britain’s biggest airline by passenger numbers, easyJet, has grounded its entire fleet of 344 aircraft.
The Luton-based airline says its last flight operated on Sunday 29 March and there will be no further departures anywhere in Europe until further notice.
It attributes the shutdown to “unprecedented travel restrictions imposed by governments in response to the coronavirus pandemic”.
While easyJet has given no date for re-starting commercial operations, the airline says it has agreed with the Unite union to furlough all its UK-based cabin crew during April and May.
Crew will be paid 80 per cent of their average pay through the government’s job-retention scheme.
The company is seeking additional financial liquidity, saying: “easyJet maintains a strong balance sheet, with no debt re-financings due until 2022.
“We are in ongoing discussions with liquidity providers who recognise our strength of balance sheet and business model.”
Over recent days it has operated more than 650 rescue flights to date, taking more than 45,000 passengers home.
Read more via The Independent
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