Are Easyjet taking advantage.

[Desk Driver]

Why are Eazyjet cancelling flights? Are they taking advantage by cancelling no phrofit making flights or are they concerned about security if so why are not all flights grounded? Perhaps I missing something obvious here. :confused:

[Katy]

Yes, you are missing something obvious, so obvious this thread does not justify a response.

Those with brains fly aeroplanes, those (in this case) without, drive desks.

[Desk Driver]

Katy,

Obviously at this very difficult time people are reading more into questions & statements than there actually is. I in hindsiight should have ask "Will Airlines take advantage", but the reason I named easyjet is pure & simple. They are the only airline I've heard of cancelling flights to "unaffected" areas. If there is a particular reason for this other than stated above I would like to know. If Easyjet are doing something to help the situation in general then why are others not following this example. I can see that this has upset you and will no doubt upset others, but,this is in no way meant as a slur on Easyjet, if they are profiteering then that should be attacked ( I remind you that many hotels are doubling their room rates as I type) However if they're acting to the good, they should be publicly praised for their actions and others berated for not following.

The Brainless do not wish to ever upset the Brainy

[echomikeecho]

Katy
I agree with you fully! Desk Driver very well explains in his text why he should be behind a desk and not in an aircraft.

[Token Bird]

Guys, do you have to be so defensive? Desk Driver asked a simple question. There's no need to be insulting. Katy, your comment was completely uncalled for. As Desk Driver said, hotels are putting up prices proving that there are always people willing to try and benefit from others' misfortunes. To suggest that this is not the case is naive. I actually think it's highly unlikely Easyjet would do this though. Therefore I am interested in the real reason. Seems like a panic-driven over-reaction to me. You say the answer is obvious. Stop being cryptic and let us thickos into the secret please,

TB

[newswatcher]

Easyjet's explanation is that, due to the short turnround built into their schedules, the current delays will have a greater effect on their flying program, and cancelling some flights will help to better manage this.

[brabazon]

Indeed, though as far as I could see go only cancelled 3 flights compared to easyJet's 42 (?). Given Ryanair also have 25 minute turnrounds how many flights did they cancel.

From the measures being introduced in the US to boost security the days of short check-in times and quick turnrounds may have gone (at least in the short-term) and hence we may all be asked to pay more to cover the costs. We'll now see if the public will firstly be prepared to fly again and then to pay more for the privelige.

If the downturn after the Gulf War was dramatic I think the fall-out from Sept 11 is going to be even more severe for many companies.

[MarkD]

Listened to Sec. of Transportation outline the "draconian" security measures which to European pax might seem like US coming into line with European norms in terms of no non-boarding persons in departure areas etc.

Might annoy Hollywood who always seem to want to have scenes where departing person accompanied almost into their seat by the person seeing them off.

Only additional time factor for airlines in Europe is a sweep of the cabin which FR probably claim they already do in the 25 minutes...

[sistern]

Good point MarkD

Belfast has always had more stringent security than I've seen at any other UK/EU airport I've been through in the last few years. Yet both easyJet and Go fly out of BFS. The latest easy time table has a 20 minute turnaround even with the extra security.

[Cumulonimbus]

DL26, I couldn't concurr more. The length of the acft turnround has little relevance to the time the security require to do their job properly. You can have a 3 hr check in if that's what is req'd from a security point of view, but that should not affect the turnround time of the acft.

Trouble is, ground staff then inflict their problems onto the departing flight. Try getting sense out of LHR staff!

[Gaza]

According to EZY the current security procedures at LTN are responsible. LTN are searching all hand and checked baggage BY HAND causing huge delays to pax throughput.

Why have LTN suddenly implemented such draconian measures? Are they telling us that their procedures and equipment are not up to the job? Have pax been at risk up to now? Probably none of these.

At times like these "Operation Kneejerk" and "Operation Stabledoor" are often put in to place. Following Tuesday's events IBM banned all their employees worldwide from flying. Someone then pointed out the Chairmans statement that business must continue was incompatible with the effective grounding of vast numbers of their workforce. The decisions was quickly rescinded.

[flypastpastfast]

Friends of mine flew from Luton last night with EZY. The security checks while probably better than before, are very 'heath robinson' and anyone really trying to avoid detection could probably still do so. This seems to be due to the passengers being held in departure shopping lounge until last minute then everyone quesues to get through security at once. Not very well organised. Seems to be understaffed.

Please don't any ezy staff take exception to these comments, as I know the staff on the ground are working flat out and they have my sympathy, probably related more to management.

Ezy currently will not allow any handluggage other than say essential medical items or a book or newspaper, but I think this is in line with other airlines.

They have also ceased selling drinks and snacks on board and passengers are told this is a security precaution?

Last night at approx 7pm in Luton, boards were showing at least five flights by EZY cancelled, which seems strange considering they fly to neither the USA or Middle east. Before anyone says it, yes I do understand the short turnaround times. I also am suspicious, but then again I've never believed the EZY hype at any time.

To make matters worse, flight to Edin last night was delayed by four dimwits for around 45 mins. I'd have had them shot. Captain was apparently a true diplomat in the situation.

[kriskross]

Gentlemen, proportion please! No airline likes to cancel flights if it can possibly avoid it, and the crews I have met in my time in the business have always gone to extraordinary lengths to get the passengers from where they are, to where they want to go to, on time. Even in the old days of regular 4 hour delays in the charter market, crews were always trying to get the job done and still do. Now, people will say it is management that are causing the disruption, but I have just been into our Operations Department, where the guys and gals are tearing their hair out trying to reduce disruption. The Ops Controller told me that until he gets an airborne message for a flights departure, he has absolutely no idea how long the turnaround is actually going to take and then he is able to plan where it's going next, as the programme is not easy to maintain in the current situation. Add on to that the problem we are all aware of, that if there is a delay the passengers tend to wander off to the bars, restaurants, duty free, etc and then when the aircraft is ready for boarding we all know the result.
Times is very hard at the moment and I suspect going to get a lot harder, so I feel that people are too busy trying to juggle all the balls in the air, rather than having time to think up subtle schemes such as have been described. I have time to answer this as I should have been off to Seattle today to pick up a new aircraft, but due to the disruption my flight has also been cancelled!!!! My thoughts to all the families of the missing.

[ghost-rider]

Firstly, deepest sympathies to all involved on Tuesday.

Now to this thread, as one of the hairless ones mentioned above, the problems are being caused by the airports inherant inability to handle the current increased security ( which I agree wholeheartedly is very necessary ). It is NOT the fault of ANY airline re these delays.

If an airline can't make the normal turnrounds, and the rest of the programme is getting delayed intolerably later on in the day - then hard decisons re cancelling must be made. That is common sense !

And for the record I really resent the title of this thread ! :mad: How dare people imply that anyone - especially an airline after these circumstances - would take advantage of such a heinous crime.

[ 15 September 2001: Message edited by: ghost-rider ]

[Mad Max]

The ONLY reason why easyJet cancels flights is because they cannot be operated without putting more disruption into an already delayed schedule, which would result in an impossible situation for the next day.

To cancel a flight is an absolute last resort, but the programme for the following day has to be protected (something we learned the hard way during this last winter) or else even worse disruption for the pax & crew will occur.

For anyone to suggest that our airline would attempt to take commercial advantage of the current appalling situation is an abhorrent insult.

Our thoughts are with the victims and loved ones of this tragic event.

Max.

[In trim]

When the enhanced security requirements were first announced by the DTLR on Tuesday afternoon, EZY immediately tried to attain this standard.....100% handbaggage searches at the gate, etc. Given the resources this entailed, the turnrounds were absolutely hammered, and cancellations resulted.

Some other airlines took a more progressive view and aimed to attain this level gradually over the coming 24-36 hours, so were not carrying out the requirements 100% on Wednesday. (Random 20% searches at some airports) so were not as badly affected.

Between Wednesday and Friday, as 'the dust settled' and airports and airlines began to co-operate, and resources were found, the programme began to settle back down.

Had the airline taken a more progressive view regarding Wednesday's programme, the results may have been different.

[Few Cloudy]

Regarding the title of this thread - how can there be an "advantage" in cancelling flights and annoying people?

You don't save money doing that - not when all your flights are nearly full as easy's are.

So apart from being callous, the question is not thought through properly.

[Desk Driver]

Few Cloudy

"not when all your flights are nearly full as easy's are."

Load factor for the year = 83%. Not bad , but, not full either? As stated earlier Ryanair has a similar turnaround time and they did'nt appear to be cancelling.

My question stands

[nice_beaver]

One of the Ryans strengths is that it has encouraged the use of 'regional' airports which are underused by other commercial traffic. This makes them cheap and less prone to delays.
In the particular circumstances you are so callously refering to they benefit from being the only carrier needing to have bags scanned and pax to be security cleared, which obviously results in little delay and little cumulative effects.
Any airline that operates from busy international airports will be hit with huge delays whilst the airport struggles to cope with the new security measures.
Few Cloudy though is correct as easyJet have a policy of money back, free rebook there is no commercial advantage to be gained just some common sense operational decisions being made by those with significantly more knowledge of the airline operations enviroment than some of the posters on this thread.
Lets stop attacking each other and get on with supporting the common goal of a safe and vibrant operating enviroment.

[no sig]

DeskDriver

The previous posts explain the situation very clearly and accurately. As one of those who has lived the last 7 days in easyJet's Ops Control, I know!

Please re-read them all and if you don't find the answer to your question , I'll be pleased to go over it once again.

[Phillipa Hole]

AH the delightful Katy, mybe if 'she' spent more time working with the company and less time slateing people off her flying would improve! Let's face it it needs too!

[Desk Driver]

Running the risk of further slating and becoming a new GUV, let me put these three points to you all.

Ryanair operate from LGW DUB STN to name 3. All major airports in my book.

Even with a refund free rebook policy, if your operating low yield, low load flights(Not all are 83%)it's financial sense to park it refund pax and save a few grand.

Stellios first stated that flights were cancelled to help take pressure off over crowded sky's. Were the skys over crowded (any more than usual) perhaps he was expecting flights to return sooner than they did, in fact he probably was good on ya Stellios. That still leaves the question why did others not follow?

As stated earlier I regret naming EZY in the question title, but, I can't change it!

[ 18 September 2001: Message edited by: Desk Driver ]

[ghost-rider]

DD -

As stated several hundred times on this thread - we cancelled flights to make our programme workable with the increased DTLR security requirements on the ground - plus our own increased security requirements. Proof we're taking the issue very seriously. Which bit don't you understand ???? :mad: What RYR or anyone else do, does not interest me as long as EZY flights are as safe as we can make them for pax and crew.

Moderator - please amend this disgusting thread title. I knew many people that worked in the Pentagon, and I would not work for a company that would take advantage of their tragic loss as suggested by the title here.

[Desk Driver]

Perhaps it's time to close the thread. I accept that Easyjet were Not taking advantage and withdraw my initial question.