EasyJet warns of difficult summer

EasyJet Chief Executive Carolyn McCall Photo : Chris Radburn/PA Wire

EasyJet said it was facing the most difficult summer holiday season for years as it laid bare the impact from the Brexit-hit pound and warned over consumer confidence after political turmoil in Turkey and recent terrorist attacks.

The low-cost carrier said it has been forced to slash fares, which are down by more than 5 per cent year on year, to boost demand, while costs have surged after the pound has fallen around 10 per cnt since the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

CEO Carolyn McCall said the group was battling against the toughest period in her tenure at the helm, following two months of turbulence and the EU referendum.

She said the pound’s plunge after the Brexit vote had seen a £40m currency swing against the group, while holidaymaker confidence has also been impacted by sterling’s weakness as well as last week’s massacre in Nice and the attempted coup in popular sun-seeker destination Turkey.

The group said revenues dropped 2.6 per cent to £1.2bn in its third quarter, after being knocked by traffic control strikes, runway closures at Gatwick Airport and severe weather.

Shares dropped 6 per cent after the gloomy update.

EasyJet has seen its stock tumble after warning last month that it would take a £28m hit to profits following two months of turbulence and cautioning that Brexit would have a negative impact on the airline.

The group is also drawing up plans to potentially move its legal headquarters out of the UK and into Europe if the Government cannot negotiate to retain the status quo in the aviation market, which allows operators to fly across the continent in a deregulated environment.

Ms McCall said it was the most challenging trading in her time in charge and “for airlines, one of the most difficult periods we have seen in a long time”.

She said the group has also been forced to promote flights in June and July - normally in high demand in peak season trading.

There have been 11 strikes in June alone, with a “significant number of cancellations” due to disruption, to add to the wider challenges impacting the sector.

“More recently, currency volatility as a result of the UK’s referendum decision to leave the EU as well as the recent events in Turkey and Nice continue to impact consumer confidence,” Ms McCall added.

Revenue per passenger seat on a constant currency basis fell 8.3 per cent in the third quarter, the airline said.

The carrier said it had sold about 65 per cent of seats available in its final quarter to the end of September, with per-seat revenue falling 7.5 per cent at a constant currency basis.

EasyJet declined to give guidance on its full-year profits, but cautioned that “as a result of events in the last week, the revenue per seat trajectory in the fourth quarter remains uncertain”.