EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is threatening to strip the airline of its name if it doesn’t improve its punctuality within the next 90 days.
In a letter sent to the airline and published on the easyGroup website, Sir Stelios said he would withdraw easyJet’s brand licence if it failed to make improvements.
Responding to reports over the weekend that more than half of easyJet’s flights from London Gatwick were late, the tycoon – who resigned from the airline’s board last May in protest over its expansion plans – blamed a shortage of staff and bad management.
In the letter, sent via easyGroup’s solicitors Bird & Bird, he said: "I have been receiving many unsolicited complaints from members of the public and even easyJet pilots about the degree that the airline is short of crew to operate the flights it sold to its customers.
"Unless Mike Rake (the chairman) and Carolyn McCall (the new chief executive) do something to improve the situation for the sake of the travelling public, I am left with no option but to terminate the brand licence."
EasyJet is disputing Sir Stelios’ right to terminate the brand licence on the basis on punctuality performance.
By Linsey McNeill
