EasyJet has confirmed that its latest round of winter flight cuts will have a "very minor impact" on Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with less than 0.2% of its flying programme from the airport affected.
The airline announced plans to remove a further 600,000 to 700,000 seats from its winter schedule, bringing the total number of seats being withdrawn to between 1.3 million and 1.4 million, following an earlier reduction of around 700,000.
Fuel prices drive capacity cuts
The reductions come as airlines face rising pressure from persistently high fuel prices. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis discussed the changes in Brussels last week, telling the Financial Times that capacity cuts across the industry were "no surprise" given the cost of fuel.
Mr Jarvis said it had been a surprise to the industry that fuel prices had remained so high. Jet fuel prices doubled following the conflict involving Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and although prices have begun to fall, they remain significantly above previous expectations.
Schedule changes and passenger impact
EasyJet said it regularly reviews its schedules and sometimes makes changes in advance to minimise disruption for passengers. The spokesperson added that the airline typically selects flights operating multiple times a day, allowing customers to move to an alternative service more easily.
The airline initially made more than 25 million seats available across almost 138,000 flights scheduled between October 19 and January 31. Based on an average of around 181 seats per flight, the latest reductions are equivalent to approximately 3,300 to 3,900 one-way flights, while the overall cuts represent an estimated 7,200 to 7,700 flights.
Passenger rights and compensation
However, the figures relate to reduced capacity rather than confirmed flight cancellations, and easyJet has not disclosed which routes will be affected or how many reductions involve UK services. The airline has also not confirmed how many of the withdrawn seats had already been booked by passengers.
Passengers whose flights are cancelled may be entitled to a refund, rerouting or compensation under UK261 rules, depending on the circumstances and how much notice they receive. Compensation can range from £220 to £520 depending on flight distance, although different rules apply to replacement flights and airlines may be exempt from paying if cancellations result from extraordinary circumstances.
