Budget airline EasyJet has asked pilots and cabin crew to agree to sweeping changes in their terms and conditions, as part of its response to coronavirus. Among the proposed changes are a freeze on planned pay rises and a requirement to take three months of unpaid leave.

The airline would also no longer provide food for crew during their shifts, only water. Unions told members they had failed to reach agreement with the airline and were working on counter-proposals. However, there remains a willingness to make concessions in order to avoid redundancies. Further talks between EasyJet and unions representing pilots and cabin crew are expected today. Meanwhile, EasyJet’s chief executive Johan Lundgren has defended the payment of £170m in dividends to shareholders, at a time when the company is seeking financial help from the government.(BBC)…[+]