Below is a statement issued by Barclays on their web site today, followed by a reply from easyJet:

“Barclays Bank objects to the statement made by easyJet last week, announcing the formation today of a “picket line” outside a Barclays Bank branch in Luton, comprising a team of easyJet employees and Stelios Haji-Iannou, Chairman of easyJet. We regret this intrusion on our customers and staff.

easyJet’s interpretation of the facts in the matter of landing charges at London Luton Airport is incorrect and is an unfair attack to discredit Barclays.

Barclays Bank considers that Stelios Haji-Iannou is wasting his time and his money with this campaign. Barclays does not set landing charges at London Luton Airport and will not get involved in this decision-making process.

Any decision will be taken by London Luton Airport Operations Ltd, the management company which runs London Luton Airport.”

easyJet replies:

Any company that believes it can act independently of its major shareholder (62% in the case of London Luton Airport and Barclays) is either naive or is lying.

In light of this, perhaps they would like to comment on newspaper reports that Peter Middleton resigned his position as chairman of London Luton Airport Operations due to “excessive interference” by Barclays in the day-to-day running of the Airport.

As for Stelios “wasting his time and money”, Barclays obviously doesn’t understand the principle of a company sticking-up for its customers’ rights. easyJet is acting now to prevent its customers from paying excessive and unnecessary charges. Barclays’ hardly has a reputation as a ‘consumer champion’. Perhaps the statement above shows why.

We promise to print any response that they make.

Over to you, Barclays….....

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