Then along came the coronavirus crisis – the greatest catastrophe to ever hit the global travel industry.

Many businesses would have shelved plans to roll out a new venture at a time when countless rival airlines and tour operators were slashing jobs, or even collapsing into administration.

But although frustrated at the situation, angry at the lack of government support and devastated at having to announce the loss of 1,900 roles, easyJet boss Johan Lundgren remains determined, and surprisingly optimistic, about the future of easyJet’s new tour operator.

“The pandemic has definitely had an impact on easyjet Holidays’ plans," Lundgren smiles. “But I think it’s important to remind ourselves that, in a strange way, the opportunity is even stronger than before.

“When we are in a downturn, people still prioritise their holidays. And we know that people gravitate towards strong brands, which is really some of the core critical assets of this company,” he explains.

“So while we have clearly been affected by this, we are pleased with what easyJet Holidays has delivered.”

An example of that, he says, is what happened when Portugal was added to the UK’s travel corridor list.

“We saw an amazing peak in sales," he reveals. "It means that there is an underlying demand for these routes and the destinations where easyJet Holidays is operating to.”

It is perhaps for this reason that easyJet Holidays continued with its plans to launch to the trade last month, a move which Lundgren says he is “immensely proud of”, as he insists the operator is “on its way to achieving” its goal of ensuring it reaches 3,000 agents.

“We definitely believe the trade can play a part, which I’m sure they will do. We’re very excited about the opportunity.”

’Govt can’t come in as last resort’

This opportunity, though, has of course been limited, not just by the impact of the pandemic, but also the government’s last-minute quarantine and travel advice decisions, as well as a notable lack of government support for the sector.

Lundgren is candid about his frustrations. “The government needs to understand that time is running out. You can’t take for granted the industry will be here [in the future].

“EasyJet is fortunate to the extent that we came into this situation as one of the strongest airlines in Europe. But companies can’t just keep on borrowing money and laying on more debt. It’s not a good mid- to long-term solution.

“We’ve got to move forward and come out of this in a good shape, so we can continue to invest into the future.”

He points out the discrepancy between the UK and Europe, noting: “Some European governments are pouring billions into Europe’s most inefficient airlines. It distorts the competition.

“[The UK government] should be proud of their aviation industry,” he says. “They should go out and say, ‘Look, we are going to support this industry’.”

Lundgren acknowledges the chancellor’s furlough schemes have been helpful, “but that is also something that other countries are doing and for longer periods of time”.

“Government can’t come in as a last resort,” he warns, “because by that time it will be too late.”