EasyJet hires Ryanair executive as chief operating officer

EasyJet has hired rival Ryanair’s operations chief Peter Bellew, a 30-year industry veteran, as it navigates intense competition in the European short-haul market. The airline announced Bellew’s appointment as COO alongside a trading update that revealed an 11 per cent rise in revenue for the latest quarter. EasyJet said a strong Easter and a reduction in long delays and cancellations had helped boost total revenue to GBP1.76b in the three months to June. Passenger revenue rose 10.7% to GBP1.39b. The British low-cost carrier said it expected to deliver a profit before tax of between GBP400m and 440m in H2, in line with market expectations. Bellew spent nine years at Ryanair, where he held a number of roles, including director of flight operations, before he left for Malaysia Airlines, where he was eventually named chief executive. He rejoined Ryanair in December 2017, following a pilot rostering crisis at the Irish carrier that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights. Johan Lundgren, CE of easyJet, said Bellow had an “exceptional level of experience” in low-cost and full-service airlines and was “a great leader with a proven track record in delivering results”. <br/>