Leeds tour operator Jet2 has announced plans to launch holidays and flights from Gatwick Airport next year in plans which will create more than 300 jobs.
The company – the Ƶ’s largest operator of its kind – says it has secured slots for six aircraft following the release of additional capacity by the airport. It will base five Airbus A321neo aircraft at the West Sussex airport, with a further aircraft positioned overseas.
The first Gatwick flight will jet off to the Spanish island of Tenerife on March 26 next year. The firm said London Gatwick - with a a catchment area of almost 15 million people who can access it by road or rail within 60 minutes – represents a key component of Jet2’s longer term growth and value creation plan, saying it is pleased that “this valuable opportunity” has arisen earlier than management’s original expectations.
It said it make a “meaningful step-up in short-term investment” to firmly establish Jet2’s operations and market leading customer service at London Gatwick.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 plc, said: “Today’s announcement represents an incredibly exciting moment for Jet2. For many years, our ambition has been to provide our differentiated, service led, end-to-end product offering from London Gatwick, and we see this as a once in a generation opportunity to accelerate our growth from the Ƶ’s largest beach and city leisure destination airport.
“This development represents a transformational change in our addressable market underscoring the scale of the opportunity, and we are thrilled to be able to introduce our award-winning Customer First service from London Gatwick next year.
“While establishing our holiday operations and service will understandably take time and investment in the short term, we expect to deliver meaningful profit growth in the longer term, in line with our People, Service, Profits philosophy.”
Gatwick will become the 14th Ƶ airport with a Jet2 base.
The company is initially offering flights from Gatwick to 29 “sunshine destinations” in countries such as Spain, Greece, Turkey, Portugal and Italy.
It said more than 300 direct jobs will be created in the region around Gatwick across roles including pilots, cabin crew, engineering and ground operations, with an additional hundreds of indirect jobs also generated.
Gatwick chief executive Pierre-Hugues Schmit said: “We are thrilled to welcome Jet2 to London Gatwick, marking an exciting new chapter for the airport and our passengers.
“Jet2’s arrival brings even more choice and flexibility to passengers across the South East and beyond, strengthening London Gatwick’s vision to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey.
“It is an exciting time for Jet2 to join London Gatwick following the recent Government approval for routine use of our northern runway, which will further expand connectivity and economic growth.
“We are committed to delivering exceptional service and we look forward to supporting Jet2’s growth and success here at London Gatwick.”
Jet2 currently operates from 13 Ƶ airport bases at Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle.
