Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have added three new destinations to their summer 2019 programme flying out of Stansted airport.
Bourgas (Bulgaria), Chania (Crete) and Izmir (Turkey) brings the operator’s sun and city destinations this summer to 36 in total.
It will now sell more than 1.7 million seats from Stansted next summer, an 18% increase on summer 2018 - and double what it could sell during its first year at the Essex hub in 2017.
Stansted is now Jet2.com and Jet2holidays third biggest base and the group says it will also add aircraft, creating new cabin crew, flight deck and ground operation positions at the airport.
Starting May 2019, the group will operate two weekly flights (Monday and Thursday) to Bourgas, known for its sandy Black Sea coast and proximity to Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Obzor and St Vlas, amounting to 16,000 seats in its first year.
Joining Jet2.com and Jet2holidays for the launch was expert (broom) flier Stanislav Yevetski, better known for his role as Bulgarian Quidditch ace Victor Krum from the Harry Potter universe.
The new route to Chania will provide nearly 20,000 seats flying every Tuesday and Friday, giving holidaymakers access to Crete’s north west coast as well as the historic sites in the resorts of Rethymnon, Aghia Marina and Chania Town.
Meanwhile, the addition of Izmir, said the group, comes in response to increase demand for package holidays to Turkey.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will provide more than 20,000 seats flying every Monday and Thursday, opening up Turkey’s west coast, the resorts of Kusadasi, Cesme, Ozdere and Seferihisar and Dilek National Park.
Steve Heapy, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive, said: “With three fantastic brand new destinations for summer 2019, we are giving holidaymakers even more choice.
“The addition of flights to Bourgas means we will operate to Bulgaria for the first time, and with resorts such as Sunny Beach on sale, we are expecting it be hugely popular with local holidaymakers.
“Greece continues to attract holidaymakers in huge numbers, and our new route Chania in Crete opens up the north west of this beautiful island.
“Finally, Turkey continues to see huge demand, so we are opening up more resorts on the west coast of this fantastic country.”
Martin Jones, Stansted’s commercial director, added: “Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have proved to be incredibly popular with passengers since launching from London Stansted last year.
“I’m delighted the summer 2019 programme will feature three brand new destinations and offer even more choice of flights and holidays to 36 fantastic destinations.
“I’m sure this exciting news will be welcomed by people right across the east of England and London eager to head to the sun and take advantage of the great value flights and holiday packages.”
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have also added more flights and holidays to a range of destinations across Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Croatia.
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