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EasyJet: Our punctuality is poor - Isle of Man Today
EasyJet’s Gatwick service from Ronaldsway does suffer from poor punctuality.
A representative from the airline admitted its shortcoming at a meeting with transport watchdogs TravelWatch.
Jenny Groves, EasyJet’s UK route manager, said that the service between Gatwick and the island needed to be better and said that action was being taken to ‘improve punctual performance’.
She told the meeting, which was held last week in Douglas, that the airline was examining the possibility of ‘overnighting’ a plane at Ronaldsway, so it could offer an early service.
At present, a plane has to arrive from Gatwick before setting off again. It means the earliest a flight leaves the island for the London airport is 9.50am.
She added that the company was also reviewing the reduction in Gatwick midweek services and the absence of Saturday services during the summer.
The meeting was told that the reason EasyJet dropped the island during those times was when it ‘needed more aircraft for more lucrative routes in the summer peak’.
Ms Groves also revealed that the airline was looking at introducing a Ronaldsway to Belfast service, giving CityWing competition on that route.
Currently, EasyJet also flies to Liverpool and Bristol from the island.
Travelwatch’s chairman, Brendan O’Friel said: ‘This was a valuable bringing together of a major airline with passengers.
‘We are sure EasyJet has gained from listening to passenger concerns.
‘In our view, EasyJet has plenty to improve.’
He listed the areas as: punctuality to Gatwick, better information about time to allow for connecting flights, increased services to Gatwick and ‘more action to convince passengers of EasyJet’s commitment to the special needs of the island’.
Terry Liddiard, TravelWatch’s spokesman on air services, said EasyJet should recognise its ‘responsibilities to the community in maintaining a “lifeline” service’.
When Flybe flew to Gatwick, a plane ‘overnighted’ in the island. But Flybe dropped the route last year, meaning that the passengers wishing to go to London had to use EasyJet to Gatwick or British Airways to London City.
Passengers soon got more choice when Flybe began flights between Stansted and the island in March. However, it has announced it will also drop those next year.
TravelWatch expressed disappointment about that decision and feared there would be a substantial shortage of seats to the London area.
However, it was pleased that BA was planning to use bigger aircraft on its London City flights and cut fares.