06th December 2011
- Major investment in region as leading leisure airline
aims for top spot.
- Over 100 new jobs created. Additional based aircraft
- Four new destinations for 2012 – Bodrum, Rome, Reus
and Venice making total of 27
Jet2.com today announced a
series of major investments in the North East, demonstrating its commitment to Newcastle
Airport and surrounding areas and ultimately positioning the airline to be the
city’s most high profile over the coming year.
As part of a
planned expansion programme, the leading leisure airline announced a raft of
exciting new developments including the launch of four exciting new routes – Bodrum, Rome, Reus and Venice. Flights to these popular destinations will commence from 31 May, with
prices starting from £34.99 one way
including taxes. North East
holidaymakers will also be able to take advantage of Jet2holidays great value
package holidays starting from £299.
Additionally, an
additional aircraft will be based at the airport for summer 2012, taking the
total to six. And over one hundred new jobs will be recruited over the coming
months to service the expansion plans and additional capacity. Job seekers can
apply for ground staff, cabin crew, flight crew and engineering roles at www.jet2.com/careers
The airline’s
renewed focus will add the potential for an extra 80,000 passengers to enjoy Jet2.com’s
award winning service, taking total seat availability to over 600,000 per year. There will also be extra frequencies of
flights on favourite destinations such as Faro, Menorca, Malaga, Cork, Prague
and Krakow.
Jet2.com
who only last month added the exciting Croatian hotspot of Dubrovnik to its list of destinations, will service 27 destinations
from Newcastle Airport for 2012, many more than any other operator in the
region. The combination of exciting city
breaks and the ever popular family holiday destinations also gives Jet2holidays
a massive boost and delivers a raft of exciting ATOL protected city and sun
holidays for the people of Newcastle and the North East.
Ian Doubtfire, managing
director of Jet2.com, said: “We have been closely monitoring the success of
this airport over the past year and we believe there’s real potential for this
region. The people of the North East
have genuinely embraced Jet2.com and we see exciting
horizons for our organisation right here. That’s why, contrary to many other operators at the moment, we have
decided to invest for the coming year and really focus and plan for a strong
future in the region.
“In these tough
economic times we are delighted to be creating more job opportunities for local
people. Our partnership with Newcastle
College to deliver first-class training to our growing team of cabin crew
across all our bases, further demonstrates our commitment to the local
economy. We are really excited by the
wider opportunities this will create for the pool of talented learners already
studying within the college.”
This latest
announcement comes on the back of a record summer for Jet2.com at Newcastle
Airport – carrying half a million passengers to popular city and sun
destinations, a 56 per cent increase on 2010. Since launching at the airport six years ago, the airline it has gone
from strength to strength, helping over 2.1 million passengers jet away on
holiday. Last week, the first of Jet2.com’s successful New York shopping
flights took off, the second of these special flights leaves for the Big Apple
at 8am this Thursday.
Dave Laws, chief executive at
Newcastle International, said: “We are delighted that Jet2.com has invested
further in Newcastle Airport, and in turn the region. We work closely with our
local authority shareholders to improve prospects for the North East in these
difficult economic times. These five new routes will not only offer our
customers the opportunity for leisure breaks, but also increase the scope for
inbound tourism and business to business connections.”
“Civil Aviation Authority data has
told us that over 200,000 people from the airport’s catchment area travel to
other UK airports to reach Mediterranean destinations. We hope these brand new
developments will encourage the travelling North East public to choose their
local airport.”
Ian Doubtfire
added: “This year has been a fantastic
year for us at Newcastle. We’ve seen
flights taking off to five exciting new destinations and next month sees the
return of our popular New York Christmas shopping breaks. In addition we have increased capacity on
some of our most popular routes, added a new 737 to the fleet earlier this year
plus recruited 47 new staff to take our airport passenger handling entirely
in-house. This, combined with our
ambitious growth plans for 2012 will firmly establish us as the North East’s
biggest leisure carrier.”
New destinations snapshot:
Bodrum, Turkey – Weekly flights from 4 June
2012
With turquoise
seas, golden sands, year round sunshine and a rich history, it’s not surprising
that Bodrum is a popular holiday spot. This charming and picturesque port is buzzing with traditional Turkish
life – when not relaxing on one of the many beautiful beaches, practise your
haggling skills at the bustling bazaars, take a lazy boat trip down the Dalaman
River, bathe in the mineral waters of the Karaada grotto or explore one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Tomb of Mausolus.
Jet2.comflights start from £61.99 one
way including taxes. Jet2holidaysstart from £299 based on seven
nights for a 3*self catering holiday including resort transfers and 22kg
baggage allowance.
Rome – Flying twice a week from 31 May 2012
One of the worlds
must-see cities, the vibrant and fascinating Italian capital is packed full of
iconic ancient sights, from the Vatican City and Sistine Chapel to the imposing
Colosseum and beautiful Trevi Fountain. Combined with romantic restaurants serving indulgent Italian food and a
host of designer shops to suit even the fussiest fashionista, a Rome city break
will really give you a slice of ‘La Dolce Vita.’
Jet2.comflights start from £34.99 one
way including taxes. Jet2holidayscity breaks start from £299 based on three nights staying in
a 3* Bed & Breakfast.
Reus, Costa Dorada, Spain – Flying twice a
week from 1 June 2012
This tranquil,
picturesque town is perfect of those wanting to experience traditional Spanish
life. Famous for the production of
brandy there’ll be plenty of opportunity to have a tipple at the many tapas
bars. Relax in beautiful rocky coves
with golden sands and blue seas or explore the nearby popular seaside resort of
Salou. Thrill seekers will love the Port
Aventura Theme Park or taking part in the many Spanish Fiestas when the streets
come alive with live music, singing and flamenco dancing!
Jet2.comflights start from £34.99 one
way including taxes. Jet2holidaysstart from £399 based on a seven
nights 3* Half Board holiday including resort transfers and 22kg baggage
allowance.
Venice – Flying three times a week from 31
May
One of the most
romantic cities in the world, Venice is steeped in history and culture. Float along the canals in a gondola
admiring the stunning architecture, making sure you visit iconic sights
including the Basilica di San Marco and Ponte di Rialto Bridge. The Piazza San Marco comes alive at night
time with a host of fashionable bars and restaurants. And no visit to Venice is complete without
sampling some famous Italian ice cream while strolling along this unique
floating city.
Jet2.comflights start from £36.99 one
way including taxes. Jet2holidayscity breaks start from £329 based on three nights staying in
a 3* Bed & Breakfast.
Dubrovnik – flying weekly
on Saturday’s from 9 June to 6 October 2012
Sitting on the most south eastern tip of
the Croatian coast, Dubrovnik was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in
1979, providing lots of exciting things to discover and explore. The fortified
walls skirting the town create a great walk with spectacular views of the
city’s shiny white marble houses with glimpses of the beautiful crystal clear
bay. With its beautiful beaches,
romantic squares to enjoy a cosy meal and vibrant nightlife, Dubrovnik provides
a perfect getaway for families, couples and groups alike.
Jet2.com flights start from £41.99 one way including taxes. Jet2holidays
start from £399 per person for seven nights self catering including resort
transfers and 22kg baggage allowance.
ATOL protected Jet2holidays
can be secured with a £60 deposit and all customers enjoy the benefits
of Jet2.com
with friendly flight times, resort transfers and a 22kg baggage allowance. To
book a holiday or find out further information, please visit www.Jet2holidays.com, freephone
0800 408 5599 or visit your travel agent.
