Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will launch flights and holidays from Liverpool next year after choosing Liverpool John Lennon airport as its 11th base.
The airline and operator has put 565,000 summer 2024 seats on sale across 20 destinations from LJLA, with flights taking off on 28 March ahead of the Easter getaway. Jet2 will base four aircraft at LJLA, flying to mainland Spain, the Canaries and Balearics, as well as Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal and Cyprus.
It will operate up to 54 weekly flights from Liverpool during peak summer, including 12 a week each to the Canaries and the Balearics. LJLA will gain seven brand-new routes in total – Bourgas (Bulgaria), Gran Canaria, Madeira, Menorca, Paphos, Rhodes and Zante.
Jet2 said its decision to set up at Liverpool came in response to "enormous demand" from customers and agents in the North West, and would create more than 200 jobs locally spanning flight deck and cabin crew roles, as well as opportunities in engineering and ground handling.
Jet2.com is this year celebrating the 20th anniversary of its UK flight operations; it will operate a fleet of 119 aircraft this summer, flying to around 70 destinations. Jet2holidays, meanwhile, is now the UK’s largest operator by Atol authorisations, licensed to carry 5.86 million passengers this year.
Steve Heapy, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive, said: "This announcement further expands our footprint and comes on the back of the enormous demand we know is out there from customers and independent travel agents across Liverpool, Merseyside and the wider region. We have seen that demand really ramp up over the past couple of years, so we know there will be a fantastic response to this launch.
"The announcement of our 11th UK airport reflects our long-term strategy to continue growing responsibly to become the UK’s leading and best leisure travel business. It also means significant investment in the region, with four based aircraft coming into operation and the creation of over 200 new jobs."
John Irving, Liverpool John Lennon airport chief executive, added: “This is a great day for the airport and for the region’s holidaymakers. For the first time, travellers from across the Liverpool City Region and beyond will have the opportunity to book package holidays with the UK’s leading package holiday provider, direct from Liverpool John Lennon airport.
"It’s also great to have seven new routes available that we know will be popular with holidaymakers and for our local independent travel agents to be able to sell."
Mainland Spain
Canary Islands
Balearic Islands
Portugal
Greece
Cyprus
Turkey
Bulgaria
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