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EasyJet: We'll sue over snow
Ed Harris19 Feb 2009
BUDGET airline easyJet is threatening legal action against Luton council and Luton Airport over £500,000 losses caused by closures during heavy snow this month.
In a letter to the chief executive of the airport, easyJet boss Andy Harrison said the airline plans to make a claim for breach of contract. He said the airport failed to implement its Snow Plan, leading to "avoidable disruption". A similar letter to the council accused it of breaching its statutory duty by failing to keep the road to the airport open.
Both organisations today said they had done everything possible to limit the effects of the snow.
Reader views (5)
Having been left stuck in Prague due to snow at Luton airport I can see why they want to sue.
Ketih, if you provide a service and as you have stated are prone to fog and snow you need to be able to cope with fog and snow. Luton airport had to shut last year due to snow.
Surely they should have learnt lessons from the previous year? Seems not, so sue them they will then learn a hard lesson and provide a service better than the rest of the country!
Ultimately it is the people using the services provided that have suffered and I dont mean Easyjets flights!
- Stuart, UK, 20/02/2009 09:27
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It probably costs thousands of pounds to clear a runway. Airport Authorities also have a duty not to waste money un-necessarily when the snow is excessive, the removal of snow from runways or roads or pavements should be at an authorities discretion, There is not a given right where members of the public should expect un-interupted passage whatever the weather conditions. If there is excessive weather conditions and businesses are unable to make a profit, tough. Everyone is in the same Boat. When my ferry is cancelled due to adverse weather and I have to catch another the following day, thats life.
- Jim Alan, Kendal, 20/02/2009 02:52
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Mother nature versus lawyers. Come on mum a tad more heat with the global warming myth and fry me a few lawyers = well done please !
- Alex, Soton, 19/02/2009 19:20
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How typical of Easyjet to try and take legal action against the airport and council, yet if anybody try's to sue them they get up in arms about it!
- Charles, London, 19/02/2009 18:00
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Easyjet prefered Luton to Stansted largely because of cheaper rents, and they now have the nerve to blame the council for the airfield being sited on a hill above a town, where fog aand snow are regular threats! If the Greek owner was still running things in the company, surely he wouldn't be so barmy as to pursue this
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 19/02/2009 17:36
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