EasyJet plans to remove seats on some of its planes this summer, so that it can operate flights with fewer cabin crew. The airline is battling staff shortages as it attempts to return to pre-pandemic levels of service. By taking out the back row of seating on its A319 fleet, EasyJet said it will be able to fly with three cabin crew instead of four. That would limit numbers on board to a maximum 150 passengers. EasyJet said it was an effective way of operating the fleet while "building additional resilience and flexibility" into the airline's operations. Airlines and airports in the UK have been struggling with staff shortages since Easter, as demand for travel has taken off again, following the removal of all remaining UK Covid travel restrictions. EasyJet and BA were forced to cut hundreds of flights last month as levels of the virus surged, keeping staff off work, and making it hard to maintain full schedules. EasyJet said it had looked at a range of measures to strengthen its operational resilience. As well as the scheme to remove seats the company will also put more resources into processing the accreditation of new staff.
