Jet2 has announced a further expanded flight schedule for 2023.
The expansion, thought to be driven by a signification increase in demand experienced over recent weeks, will see more destinations added to hubs in Bristol, Glasgow and the East Midlands. It currently operates flights to over 70 destinations in Europe.
Steve Heapy, the airline’s CEO, commented: “We always knew that when international travel returned to normal, customers and independent travel agents would respond by flocking to book our award-winning flights and holidays.”
Challenging period
Jet2 began charter flights for passengers in 2001 and has since grown to the third-largest scheduled airline in the UK. Describing itself as “the UK’s leading tour operator”, it has staved off competition from rivals well over the course of the pandemic.
Jet2 temporarily suspended operations in 2020 as strict travel restrictions meant travellers could not fly in or out of the country for prolonged periods. One of the measures employed by the airline in an effort to ease financial pressures was the letting go of 120 pilots.
Before the pandemic, the low-cost carrier’s main competition came from Thomas Cook, which went into administration in 2019 and prompted the UK’s largest-ever peacetime repatriation, as 150,000 Britons were required to be flown home by specially chartered aircraft.
Full steam ahead
The Leeds-based airline is finally reporting travel returning to its pre-pandemic levels and is moving full steam ahead. The airline has more A321neos in its order pipeline, in a shake-up to its mostly Boeing-built fleet, and announced last month the relaxing of its mask mandate. Mr Heapy added:
“We are experiencing strong demand across all seasons, and with Summer 23 looking so popular, we are in the position to respond with a massively expanded programme from Bristol, East Midlands and Glasgow Airports.’
New destinations include Girona and Malaga in Spain and Chania and Santorini in Greece.
The announcement also included details of an additional aircraft to operate between the UK hubs to support the increased operations.
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