EasyJet executive quits over flight chaos

The executive responsible for running easyJet’s operations has resigned following a gruelling period of disruption including thousands of flight cancellations. The carrier said on Monday that Peter Bellew had resigned as chief operating officer, but would stay with the company temporarily to “ensure a smooth transition”. His departure comes after easyJet became one of the biggest casualties from the wave of disruption that has hit Europe’s airlines this year. The carrier has been forced to cancel thousands of flights in response to staff shortages that have disrupted the industry this summer, with some of the most damaging occurring during the UK school half-term in June. The airline was forced to cut back its summer schedule later that month as it attempted to restore order to its flight operations. The airline cut about 10,000 of the 160,000 flights scheduled to run in July, August and September, with more than 70 per cent of its customers moved to other flights within 24 hours of their original departure, the last being notified of changes on Monday. It leaves more than a quarter of prospective passengers on the affected flights facing a refund, rebooking on to another flight on a different day or having to accept a voucher for use in the future. EasyJet’s management has long insisted it does not have a staffing problem, and argues it has fallen victim to problems at airports, with shortages among air traffic controllers and ground handlers. The carrier has recruited more than 1,700 staff this year, meaning it has a similar number of employees as in 2019, despite planning to fly less.<br/>