Summer 2021 for some maybe the year they finally have a holiday, in the hope that normality returns to normal – well that’s what UK leisure carrier Jet2 is hoping, with a launch of a new base from Bristol Airport.
Jet2 Boeing 737-800 arriving into Birmingham Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
The airline is planning 33 destinations, 29 to be served in the Summer with 11 destinations in winter.
The airline is planning to operate up to 56 weekly flights. A fleet of three based aircraft at Bristol Airport, connecting to Mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Portugal and Madeira.
Breaking down the planned operations list:
Summer 2020 Programme
Mainland Spain
- Costa de Almeria – weekly Thursday services operating in Summer 21
- Girona (Costa Brava) – weekly Saturday services
- Reus – up to two weekly services (Monday and Thursday)
Canary Islands
- Fuerteventura – up to two weekly services (Tuesday and Saturday)
- Gran Canaria – up to two weekly services (Monday and Thursday)
- Lanzarote – two weekly services (Thursday and Sunday)
- Tenerife – up to three weekly services (Tuesday, Friday and Saturday)
Balearic Islands
- Ibiza – up to three weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
- Majorca – up to five weekly services (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
- Menorca – up to three weekly services (Tuesday, Friday and Saturday)
Portugal
- Faro – up to four weekly services (Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday)
- Madeira – weekly Monday services
Italy
- Naples – weekly Sunday services
- Verona – weekly Saturday services
Greece
- Corfu – up to two weekly services (Wednesday and Sunday)
- Crete (Heraklion) – up to two weekly services (Tuesday and Friday)
- Halkidiki – weekly Thursday services
- Kalamata –weekly Wednesday services
- Kefalonia – weekly Sunday services
- Kos – weekly Thursday services
- Lesvos – weekly Sunday services
- Preveza – weekly Sunday services
- Rhodes – up to two weekly services (Tuesday and Saturday)
- Santorini – weekly Wednesday services
- Skiathos – up to two weekly services (Wednesday and Sunday)
- Zante – up to two weekly services (Monday and Friday)
Turkey
- Antalya – three weekly services (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
- Dalaman – up to four weekly services (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)
- Izmir – weekly Tuesday services operating
Winter 21/22 Programme
Canary Islands
- Fuerteventura – two weekly services (Wednesday and Saturday)
- Gran Canaria – two weekly services (Monday and Thursday)
- Lanzarote – three weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday)
- Tenerife – four weekly services (Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Portugal
- Faro – two weekly services (Monday and Friday)
- Madeira – weekly Monday services
Cyprus
- Paphos – weekly Sunday services
Turkey
- Antalya – two weekly services (Tuesday and Friday)
Ski services
- Geneva – weekly Saturday services
- Grenoble – weekly Sunday services
- Salzburg – weekly Saturday services
Services will kick off on the 1st April with a service to Lanzarote, with the airline offering 450,000 seats on sale. Tickets are on sale via Jet2 and Jet2JHolidays.
In Quotes
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said:
“This is an incredibly exciting day for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, as we expand our award-winning flights and holidays to Bristol Airport. We know how much demand there is, because we have been listening to customers and independent travel agents in the region for some time. We are delighted to be bringing them the news that they have been looking forward to, meaning that they can finally enjoy real package holidays from Bristol Airport.”
“The announcement of our tenth UK base reflects our long-term strategy to continue growing our successful business and become the UK’s leading leisure travel business. It also represents a significant investment in the region, including the creation of at least 200 new jobs. As well as this huge economic contribution, this announcement means holidaymakers can look forward to something they have not experienced before from Bristol Airport, which is our award-winning customer service. When it comes to booking and travelling with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, we know that customers will not only love the 33 fantastic destinations that we have on sale, but once they experience our service, they will quickly understand why organisations such as Which? and Trip Advisor repeatedly praise and award us for the way we treat and look after our customers. We cannot wait to launch operations, and we look forward to taking holidaymakers from Bristol Airport on a package holiday they can trust.”
Dave Lees, CEO, Bristol Airport said:
“We are delighted to welcome Jet2.com and Jet2holidays to Bristol Airport. Never has the time been more important for the region to look to the future in a post-Covid world, and Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have shown the confidence in the strength of the region to open up their tenth UK operating base at Bristol Airport. This exciting news is a major step towards the future by creating job opportunities, providing significant investment and an increase in the choice of destinations and holidays available to customers in the region. We will continue to work closely with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays on the strategic partnership and develop further opportunities in the future.”
Betting on improvements in summer 2021
With 2020 pretty much a write-off for airlines, leisure carriers are trying to pivot is to have a semblance of a programme for next year. For Jet2, that means striking out on a new base and hoping the pent-up demand is there for both the summer and winter seasons.
Three aircraft is a reasonable size commitment by the airline, with them able to serve the planned number of routes.
It will be interesting to see which routes are operating in a year from this base.
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