Following easyJet’s notification of 727 UK pilot redundancies  and that they would be closing their bases at Newcastle, Southend and Stansted , pilots have demanded a ‘vote of no confidence’ in the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Peter Bellew, who joined easyJet from Ryanair in January.

BALPA, which represents over 90% of easyJet pilots, will therefore be carrying out a secret ballot this week closing at noon on Friday (See bulletin).

BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said “This is an unusual if not unique step for BALPA to take as we prefer to do our business around the negotiating table but pilot morale in easyJet has collapsed and we’ve been inundated with calls for a vote of no confidence in Mr Bellew.

“I think easyJet is in a serious industrial relations mess and needs to start winning the hearts and minds of its pilots and other staff before it’s too late”.