EasyJet is set to cut an additional 700,000 seats from its winter flight schedule to fight rising fuel costs.
Airline chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline will remove an additional 700,000 seats from its capacity, following an initial cut of around 600,000 to 700,000 winter flight seats earlier this summer, the Financial Times reported.
EasyJet typically offers around 50 million seats across the winter season, which runs from October to the end of March.
The 700,000 seats are equivalent to around two days’ worth of flying.
Mr Jarvis told the FT that “people are taking capacity out; we see that across all competitors”.
“I honestly think it’s been quite a surprise for the industry that fuel has stayed as high as it is,” he said.
Fuel prices have soared since the start of the Iran conflict in February, with jet fuel costs roughly doubled.
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) warned in June that airlines will spend an extra $100bn on jet fuel this year as oil prices jump following the Iran war.
Willie Walsh, Iata director general, said jet fuel prices are expected to be 70 per cent higher year on year, at the 2026 Iata Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In September, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary warned that low fares cannot continue if oil prices remain at current levels.
While Mr O'Leary was generally optimistic about the demand for air travel, he said that jet fuel costs would push summer 2027 fares up by 15 to 20 per cent.
“We're optimistic for the future, but there's lots of short-term challenges, most notably what will happen with (Donald) Trump and the Republicans in the midterm elections in November,” he told Reuters in an interview.
The Independent has contacted easyJet for comment.
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