Passengers flock to easyJet but strike action casts cloud

THE number of passengers using easyJet soared to over 6.5 million last month as holidaymakers picked the airline for their summer jaunts. But potential strikes have dampened the company’s prospects.

Numbers at the budget carrier were up from 6.1 million in June 2014. Its load factor, a measure of how full the aircraft were, edged up to 92.7%.

However, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Robin Byde warned that strike action looms at the business, which was founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou 20 years ago and is now led by Carolyn McCall (pictured).

Some British cabin crew staff have threatened to walk out over pay after talks between unions and easyJet broke down following months of negotiations.

EasyJet pushed through a pay rise (4.1% over two years) for its 3,500 cabin crew, but the Unite union wants more.

Byde said: “The threat of strikes is gathering pace with Unite about to ballot its cabin-crew members for action over pay. We estimate that just over 30% of easyJet crew are Unite members.” EasyJet said there is no industrial action currently planned for this summer. Its shares rose 2p to 1582p. Separately Wizz Air, the central and eastern European low-cost airline, said passenger numbers last month increased by 18% to 1.7 million, from 1.5 million a year earlier. The load factor was 90.8%, up

from 89.7%.