easyJet announced that the National Health Service (NHS) would recruit easyJet cabin crew members to administer COVID-19 vaccine rollout across the United Kingdom On January 13, 2021.

easyJet cabin crew members, who were furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were made eligible candidates to assist in the vaccination effort, as over 3,000 cabin crew members had the required first-aid training and security clearance.

“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,” said easyJet Chief Executive Officer, Johan Lundgren.

As a new variant of COVID-19 was found in the UK before Christmas, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put the country under a third national lockdown. The government is rushing to vaccinate the elderly, vulnerable and frontline workers. 

Much like many  other global peers in the aviation industry, easyJet is keen for the vaccine to be widely rolled out so the air travel operations could restart. 

“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,” Lundgren added. 

easyJet said it expected many of their cabin crew to sign up to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout program, as the majority of furloughed staff took action in supporting the NHS during the first wave of COVID-19.

In November 2020, easyJet asked the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson if the government needed cabin crew to help administer the COVID-19 vaccination process.

Another British airline, namely Virgin Atlantic, has joined in participation of helping NHS in nationwide COVID-19 vaccine rollout across UK.