EasyJet aircraft took to the skies for the first time since March 30 on Monday, as the British carrier resumed a small number of mainly domestic flights after weeks of lockdown.
Ciara Lee reports
Aside from the compulsory masks and an elbow bump greeting from crew, easyJet aircraft looked relatively normal as they returned to the skies on Monday (June 15) The British carrier resumed a small number of mainly domestic flights after weeks of lockdown.
CEO Johan Lundgren was on hand for the occasion.
"Now, it's fantastic.
I mean, we we've waited for this for a long time, you know.
It's 11 weeks that the fleet has been grounded, so super excited to get flying today." Passengers boarded the first flight from London's Gatwick airport to Glasgow Starting with a minimal service, easyJet will fly mainly routes within Britain.
It's also resuming some domestic and international routes from France, Switzerland, Italy and Portugal.
A hoped-for travel recovery in its home market of Britain though has been put at risk by a 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals.
EasyJet, alongside rivals British Airways and Ryanair, started legal action on Friday (June 12) against the policy to try to have it overturned.
"Well, first and foremost, we are hoping for it (government-imposed 14-day quarantine) to be replaced with something that makes more sense from a public health point of view and also that that connectivity can can be in place.
It's being introduced at the same time as the rest of Europe is removing those types of restrictions.
So we don't see that this makes any sense from a public health point of view, and it's also preventing people to to fly into the UK." The airline is planning to ramp up services as the summer progresses and by August has said it will be flying about three-quarters of routes but at a lower frequency.
Capacity will be at about a third of usual in the busy July to September season.
EasyJet said in May it was planning to cut 4,500 jobs, or 30% of its workforce.
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