Low-cost carrier easyJet is keeping its staff active by providing home trolley services that come straight to your door. As easyJet battles unprecedented financial losses and grounded flights, the airline has partnered with delivery firm Deliveroo to keep spirits up. Customers can look forward to uniformed cabin crew serving up favorites such as gin and tonic, nuts and olives right outside their home.
Trolley service to your front door
With the world nostalgically longing for an authentic aviation experience, easyJet came up with the unique idea to bring their trolley service straight to your front door. Under the new scheme, easyJet cabin crew (in full uniform) will recreate the flying experience on your doorstep. Tina Milton, Director of Cabin Services at easyJet, said,
“As much as our customers have missed flying in recent months our cabin crew have really missed doing what they love to do best, serving our customers, so this trial gives us a great opportunity to bring easyJet to customers’ doors with our Trolley Delivery service.”
The new service will be trialed over two days on December 17th and 18th in London, with slots available from 18:00 to 21:00. To participate, customers will need to book a slot online through delivery company Deliveroo. All drinks and snacks will be completely complimentary, although participants will be asked to make a donation to Age U.K – the UK’s largest charity for older people.
Keeping staff active and customers happy
The latest initiative by easyJet is not being done for financial reasons. Instead, the airline claims it will keep its cabin crew “match-fit” as most of its flights have been grounded. With passengers worldwide missing out on memorable travel experiences, easyJet hopes to bring back some cheer during the festive period. Natasha Graydon at Deliveroo explained the thinking behind the scheme,
“If there’s one thing we’ve missed this year it’s that feeling of boarding a plane, getting settled into your seats and toasting to the holiday ahead as you jet off to a far away location.That’s why we’re delighted to be working with easyJet to recreate some of that holiday magic at home this Christmas.”
easyJet marks its 25th anniversary
Although easyJet is celebrating 25 years in the industry this year, there has been little to cheer about for the budget airline. Now operating just a fifth of its usual schedule, the airline lost around £1.27bn for the year to September 2020. This represents the first time in its 25-year history that the airline has posted losses. Shares in easyJet have also plummeted by 40% in the space of a year, with the airline carrying only half of its usual passenger numbers.
Since the onset of the pandemic, easyJet has raised over £2.4bn in liquidity to help ride out the storm. The carrier has had to rethink its future fleet, deferring 24 aircraft deliveries from Airbus and conducting sale-and-leaseback deals to raise much-needed cash.
By the end of September, easyJet had £2.3bn in cash at its disposal, although debts exceeded £1.1bn and are only growing larger by the day. There has even been talk of an easyJet – Wizz Air merger as the COVID pandemic forces threatened airlines to consolidate.
If you live in London, will you be signing up for trolley service to your door?
