EasyJet flights take off again for the first time since March as passengers eye summer holidays

EasyJet has begun flying again for the first time since March 30 with distancing measures such as masks and no food in place.

The airline's boss has insisted he would “feel 100% safe” on the planes as the company restarts operations for the first time in 11 weeks.

Passengers and crew are required to wear masks, aircraft are regularly deep-cleaned, and disinfection wipes and hand sanitiser are being made available.

EasyJet’s first UK flight since it grounded its aircraft on March 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic was from Gatwick to Glasgow, taking off at 7am.

Lundgren said not operating a single flight in nearly three months has been “devastating”, and the airline is “super-excited” to return to the skies.

He will travel on his first easyJet flight after the restart on Wednesday.

Asked if he would be anxious about his health if the plane is full, he replied: “I would feel 100% safe.The recommendations that we’ve implemented have been defined together with international regulators and also our own company’s medical doctors and expertise.”

The Airbus A321neo - easyJet’s largest aircraft - can seat 235 passengers.

Despite the 14-day quarantine policy and current travel restrictions imposed in the UK, Lundgren said he believed summer holidays will be possible.

He went on: “We would hope and would be really looking forward to restrictions being either lifted, or air bridges put in place where it made sense to do so, allowing UK customers as well as people in the rest of Europe to be able to go on a holiday.”

Air bridges would involve travellers arriving from countries where the risk of being infected by coronavirus is deemed to be low to avoid having to self-isolate for 14 days.

EasyJet’s initial schedule involves mainly domestic flying in the UK and France.

The airline will ramp up its operations in the coming weeks.

It plans to reopen half of its 1,022 routes by the end of next month, increasing to 75% during August.

But flights will be at a lower frequency than normal, meaning the airline will operate at around 30% of its normal capacity between July and September.