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(Alliance News) - Budget airline easyJet PLC on Monday announced the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Peter Bellew after a pandemic bounce-back marred by flight cancellations and travel chaos.
He will be replaced on an interim basis by David Morgan, who had once held the role for a year in 2019. Bellew has resigned "to pursue other business opportunities", easyJet said.
Bellew had been part of the Luton Airport-based budget airline for three years since 2019. Prior to that, Bellew had rejoined Ryanair Holdings PLC in late 2017, having been chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines. He previously had been had been director of flight operations for Ryanair until 2014.
Airlines have been scrambling this year to meet pent-up demand for travel post-Covid, particularly in the peak school holiday periods. However, easyJet has come under significant pressure has it has been one of the worst hit for cancellations in recent months.
The company has blamed air traffic control delays, staff shortages in ground handling and at airports and increased ID check times.
Last month, easyJet said it was "proactively" cancelling flights at Gatwick in response to a cap introduced by the airport and warned there would be a cost impact from recent disruption and the measures taken to combat it.
Chief Executive Johan Lundgren apologised at that time, saying easyJet was "sorry that for some customers we have not been able to deliver the service they have come to expect from us".
Lundgren on Monday commenting on Bellew's departure said: "I would like to thank Peter for his hard work and wish him well. Everyone at easyJet remains absolutely focused on delivering a safe and reliable operation this summer. I am pleased that Operations will be in the very capable hands of David Morgan who can move seamlessly into this role having previously led the operation, as interim chief operating officer, throughout 2019."
Shares in easyJet were down 2.4% at 367.74 pence on Monday midday in London.
By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com
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