Easy name might go in Stelios dispute

Dominic OConnell & ,}

EasyJet has drawn up plans to dump the "easy" name if it cannot finalise a bitter brawl with the airlines founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

You would design us to have looked at this and we have. We do not wish to lose the "easy" name but if you are confronting a inundate you put up inundate barriers, a house part of pronounced yesterday.

The association could until not prolonged ago have regenerated Go, the name used by the low-cost airline set up by former British Airways senior manager Barbara Cassani. Easyjet paid for Go in 2002 but sole the code last year for $1m (688,000).

A simmering brawl in between Stelios and the association exploded on Friday, with Stelios resigning from the board. He pronounced he had stepped down to verbalise freely about his concerns with the approach the association was being run. The wisecrack is off, he said. He indicted Andy Harrison, the arch executive, of posterior a forward enlargement programme and shopping as well most aircraft.

The association has deserted the claim, observant the airlines owner concluded to all aircraft deals and the blurb plan along with the rest of the board. Harrison has shielded himself by indicating out that easyJet was one of the few airlines to sojourn essential during the recession.

I have felt for a prolonged time that the government is posterior the wrong strategy for the enlargement of the business. The share cost has been prosaic for a decade and there have been no dividends. How can you buy 200 aircraft with shareholders income and emanate no resources for shareholders, Stelios said.

Company insiders contend his abdication might be related to a justice box subsequent month over the make use of the easy brand.

An agreement that dates from the companys batch marketplace entrance a decade ago stipulates it can usually consequence one-quarter from offered non-airline products, such as car hire, place to live and food.

The case, that is approaching to explain the definition of the agreement, is expected to begin in the High Court on Jun 8, and run for multiform weeks.

Stelios pronounced his abdication was not related to the code dispute. It is a completely apart issue, he said. This is about aircraft, not the brand.

The owner pronounced he had motionless to give up forward of a house assembly subsequent month at which he approaching some-more aircraft deliveries to be discussed.

He pronounced he would deliberate alternative shareholders subsequent week about job an extraordinary assembly at that plan could be discussed.

Sources close to easyJets house pronounced the alternative directors would acquire the opportunity to put the issue to shareholders.

Stelios, who set up easyJet in 1995, still controls 38% of the organisation when his own shareholding is combined to that of his family.