easyJet cabin crew to be fast tracked to support the NHS vaccination programme

Following easyJet’s recent offer of help to the UK Government, easyJet cabin crew are being recruited and fast tracked to support the NHS as part of the vital nationwide effort to distribute the Coronavirus vaccine.

The airline wrote to the UK Prime Minister in November to offer support to the Government on its efforts to implement the national Covid-19 vaccination programme this winter. With over 3000 crew who are first aid trained, security cleared and based up and down the UK in London, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast, easyJet Cabin Crew are well positioned to help support the NHS in the nation-wide vaccination programme.

As easyJet continues to operate a reduced schedule as a result of the pandemic, our furloughed crew has an ideal skill set to be able to assist in the effort to provide much needed inoculation support to the NHS in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine.

Crew who apply will be fast-tracked to become trained vaccinators at NHS vaccination centres across the country and will undergo online training and onsite immunisation training to become fully-qualified in administering the vaccine.

Last year the airline worked with the NHS on recruiting its first aid trained cabin crew volunteers to directly support clinical services in NHS Nightingale hospitals and airline staff to volunteer as NHS responders. easyJet cabin crew and pilots have also been volunteering to support the NHS through Project Wingman to provide wellbeing support to frontline clinical staff battling the coronavirus pandemic in 85 hospitals across the country. The project’s co-founder, recent easyJet Captain Emma Henderson, has been awarded an MBE for her leadership of the charity.  

As with these programmes, hundreds of easyJet crew are expected to sign up to continue supporting the NHS, now as vaccinators.

Johan Lundgren, easyJet CEO commented:

“We are delighted to be assisting the NHS in their efforts to protect the nation’s health and help to roll out this crucial vaccination programme. We are incredibly proud that once again our pilots and crew can help to support the NHS and that we can play our part for the nation at this time – and I know so many of them will step up to help at this challenging time for the country.  

The progress the country is making on the vaccination programme is an exciting and much-needed development. Once rolled out, it will enable normal life to return and is undoubtedly the key to unlocking travel again and enabling travel for work, to visit friends and family or for a much-needed holiday. We are pleased and proud to be able to play our part and stand by ready to support wherever else we can.”

One of the first NHS trusts in England to enlist the support of fast-tracked easyJet crew is Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust. Their Chief Executive Elliot Howard-Jones said:

“We are all looking forward to welcoming some of first easyJet crew for further training to become highly-valued members of our Trust’s immunisation team. Their first-aid and caring skills will make them ideally suited to help deliver the huge task we currently face, to give those most at risk protection against the COVID-19 virus. On behalf of all the Trust and our patients we truly appreciate their support and look forward to beating this pandemic together.”

Katy Bryant who has been cabin crew for easyJet since 2005 and is based at Luton, commented on why she has applied to become a vaccinator:

"Like everyone, I’m incredibly grateful to our NHS and all frontline healthcare workers for all they continue to do for the country with the continued pressure they are facing from the virus, so when the opportunity came for cabin crew to assist the NHS as vaccinators I knew I wanted to apply. As cabin crew we are in a great position to support the vaccination effort because of the first aid and safety-focused training we receive for our job, so I am sure I will be joined by many of my fellow cabin crew at easyJet who will want to support the NHS in the vital roll-out of the vaccine across the country.”