UK. EasyJet today (15 June) ran passenger flights for the first time since it ceased operations at the end of March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline flew from 22 airports across Europe.
The first flight from the UK took off from Gatwick Airport at 7am for Glasgow – the same destination the airline first flew to when it launched operations in November 1995.
The airline said its aircraft have been maintained in a flight-ready condition to enable the company to resume flights “at the right time”.
EasyJet will relaunch 310 flights this week across its European network. The majority of flights during June will be on domestic routes.
Along with key domestic connections, easyJet will fly to selected international destinations. These include Paris, Barcelona, the Balearics, the Canary Islands and Turkey. Hotspots in Portugal, Greece and Croatia are also included in its plans.
New measures to ensure passenger and crew safety and wellbeing include enhanced aircraft disinfection. A daily disinfection process provides surface protection from viruses for at least 24 hours.
The use of face masks for customers, cabin and ground crew is mandatory. All flights will be equipped with spare sanitary equipment including masks, gloves and hand sanitiser.
EasyJet pointed out that its aircraft are already fitted with filtration technology to combat airborne contaminants in the cabin, including viruses and bacteria. The filters are the same as those used in hospitals; cabin air is replaced every three to four minutes.
Initially, there will be no food service onboard flights.
We returned to the sky at 7am this morning on our first flight since lockdown.
Watch the video to find out more.#easyJet #firstflight #travel #plane #takeoff pic.twitter.com/54C8vosBia— easyJet (@easyJet) June 15, 2020
EasyJet said the measures have been implemented in consultation with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
At selected airports, customers will be able to use automated bag drop facilities to check in their hold luggage. Staff will not handle any customer documents during boarding, so customers will be asked to present and scan their own documents.
| A heroic addition EasyJet has teamed up with an illustrator to create comic book-inspired face mask covers for children flying this summer to help ease the experience for both kids and parents. Irish artist Will Sliney, best known for his work on Spider-Man and Star Wars, has created a range of face mask covers for young easyJet flyers. |
Customers will be able to practice social distancing in the airports, at gates and during boarding. Where possible customers will be able to sit at distance onboard.
EasyJet said it would review and assess what measures are required in the longer term.
EasyJet UK Country Manager Ali Gayward commented: “While we are starting with a small number of flights, this will build over the coming weeks… this is good news for customers wanting to go on their planned holiday over the summer or wishing to book a break away.”
Gayward said the safety and wellbeing of its customers and crew remains the company’s “highest priority”.
The measures will remain in place “for as long as is needed to ensure customers and crew are able to fly safely as the world continues to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic” she added.
The airline plans to fly around 45% of its Scottish routes in July and 80% in August, although with a lower frequency of flights.
Glasgow Airport Managing Director Mark Johnston added: “Although we have remained open throughout this pandemic to provide crucial lifeline operations, we are really pleased to see airline partner easyJet resume what are important domestic passenger services.”
Johnston said the airport was working with a number of airline partners to support their post-COVID-19 lockdown restart plans, and has introduced measures to keep its terminal clean and safe.
The Chief Commercial Officer at AGS Airports, the operator of Glasgow Airport, Francois Bourienne billed the flight as “another milestone for the UK aviation restart”.
