EasyJet’s French pilots have appealed to Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the carrier’s founder and biggest shareholder, to intervene in a dispute with management over the impact of cost cuts. The SNPL union wrote to Stelios complaining that the company’s Lean savings program has led to flight cancellations, delays in the payment of more than E500,000 (US$591,000) in wages, rifts with suppliers and concerns about safety amid crew fatigue. “Pilots are being asked to use their discretionary power to exceed the legal flight time limits to facilitate an unachievable program, to the detriment of passenger and crew safety,” the SNPL said in an open letter, urging Stelios to “restore the values” of the “tarnished” airline. EasyJet said that it’s “surprised” by the complaints, having engaged the union in a “continuous constructive dialog.” <br/>
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EasyJet and Gatwick were named Britain's tardiest airline and airport respectively last summer and the year before Friday, with more data showing EasyJet's punctuality has dropped this season as well. EasyJet's customers had been on average delayed 24 minutes, the longest average delay among airlines travelling to and from Britain during those two summers. London Gatwick, where EasyJet has a base, was the worst British airport for delays in summer 2015 and 2016, the BBC said in its study, but added that past performance would not necessarily be repeated during this and future summers. Last month, across its network EasyJet had an on-time percentage of 63.6% in July, down from 70.8% in June and 76.2% in May. <br/>
Ryanair CMI Kenny Jacobs says all eyes at Ryanair headquarters are firmly fixed on what the airline believes will be huge and transformative digital developments for it between now and 2024 as part of the next phase of its 'Always Getting Better' programme. The airline, he says, will maintain its rigid focus on operational costs as it grows to 200m passengers per annum by 2024, giving it about 21% of the European market, up from 15% currently. But it will tangentially implement an ambitious strategy that he believes will see it become the biggest travel website in the world, selling seats to and from many destinations around the world. "By 2024 I'd be amazed if we're not selling Lufthansa seats, BA seats, Qantas seats," he says. <br/>
Ryanair could sell long-haul flights from Italy on its website if its recent non-binding offer for Alitalia is successful, according to CMO Kenny Jacobs. The ideal outcome for Ryanair is "a hybrid deal", with a long-haul carrier taking over Alitalia's long-haul operation and Ryanair operating many of the short-haul routes to feed transatlantic and other flights, he indicated. "We think we can play a role in a solution," said Jacobs. "We're not going to take over the bad parts of Alitalia, be that certain agreements with unions on pay or pensions. But we want to keep growing in the Italian market, and we think this is the best thing for the Italian consumer and Italian tourism," he said, pointing out Ryanair already has a 30% share of the Italian market. <br/>
Iceland-based capacity solution provider Loftleidir Icelandic is to undertake a management contract with TACV Cabo Verde Airlines, as the archipelago’s govt seeks to restructure and privatise the carrier. Cabo Verde has become an increasingly popular holiday destination in recent years, especially for European tourists seeking to escape the continent’s winter months. TACV Cabo Verde operates a small network of routes to Western Europe, South America, West Africa and Providence, Rhode Island in the US with a single Boeing 757-200. One of the aims behind the agreement is to strengthen TACV so it can contribute to Cabo Verde’s potential as a year-round tourist destination. The govt also hopes to develop Cabo Verde’s geographic position as a connecting hub, linking 4 continents. <br/>