EasyJet has reported progress in reducing cancellations due to staff shortages and says it hopes to carry almost as many passengers over the summer as it did in the same period in 2019.

The low-cost carrier revealed, alongside its half-year results, that it had moved more than 1.5 million seats to its best performing markets to meet pent-up demand after two years of on/off COVID restrictions.

It said bookings had remained strong despite pressure on family budgets from the deteriorating cost of living crisis.

EasyJet had been forced to cancel dozens of flights daily – peaking over the Easter break – as skies opened up.

A combination of staff sickness and staff shortages were blamed, the latter a consequence of the sector struggling to recruit, train and hasten security processes for workers after a brutal two years for the industry that forced thousands out of work.

Chief executive Johan Lundgren said easyJet was “absolutely focused” on strengthening its operational resilience.

The company signalled an improvement, including in the area of recruitment, and said it was planning to sell 97% of capacity during the final quarter of its financial year – the summer – than it did pre-pandemic.

Cost of living: Royal Mail to raise prices and cut costs amid warnings of ‘significant’ headwinds

Rout for US stocks becomes a global sell-off as inflation-led recession fears grow

Cost of living latest: Experts predict when crisis will end – as US and Asian stocks fall

It reported that bookings in the last 10 weeks had been consistently above those seen in 2019.

EasyJet said it had managed to decrease its pre-tax loss in the six months to March from £645m in the same period a year ago to £557m.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

It reported too that it was well hedged to limit the damage from rising oil prices.

Mr Lundgren added: “The pent-up demand and removal of travel restrictions provided for a strong and sustained recovery in trading which has been further boosted as a result of our actions,” he said.

EasyJet said it would not be appropriate to provide any further financial guidance for the second half.

Related posts:

Lloyds profits boosted as it claws back £459m set aside to cover COVID-19 losses Good news for famous food company and how COVID boosted business for pet shop giant Nike says it dropped Neymar after he refused to cooperate in sexual assault probe Staycation frenzy goes on as Park Holidays owners mull sale Rolls-Royce clinches £1.5bn sale of ITP Aero division Calls for key workers to be prioritised for fuel – but who should be front of the queue? ‘Christmas became a little more expensive’: Shop price inflation highest since March 2019 Food start-up Sessions toasts Guinness backing in £7.5m fundraising Iceland has 11% of staff isolating as retail warns Omicron rules threaten disruption China faces ‘difficult set of choices’ as it seeks to prevent its companies being delisted in the US Beauty Bay hires bankers to review options after IPO stalls Cost of living crisis, remote working roles and tackling scam reviews