Airport gets boost as tour operator and airline Jet2 launches new service from Liverpool John Lennon
Holidaymakers in the Liverpool City Region will get the opportunity to fly with the UK’s largest tour operator from their local airport after a major new deal was announced by the firm.
Jet2 has signed a contract to put 20 summer destinations on sale from Liverpool John Lennon Airport from Spring 2024.
More than 200 new jobs will be created initially, with positions available across flight deck, cabin crew, engineering and ground operations.
The move is a huge boost for the Speke-based facility, which currently flies 1.6% of all air passengers in the UK.
Airport boss John Irving said, “This is a great day for the airport."
It is seen as a significant programme for the operator's first summer on Merseyside, representing 565,000 seats on sale.
The firm will operate up to 54 weekly services in its first summer of operations from Liverpool, including 12 flights to both the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands every week.
A fleet of four based aircraft will fly customers to destinations across Mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal, Madeira and Cyprus.
The programme includes seven destinations that are exclusive to Jet2.com and Jet2holidays from Liverpool with summer routes to Gran Canaria, Menorca, Rhodes, Zante, Madeira, Paphos and Bourgas (Bulgaria).
Mr Irving, chief executive at Liverpool John Lennon, said it is the “airport of choice for travellers from across the North West and North Wales, bringing together the current Which? Travel Brand of the Year with the current Which? Best UK Airport.”
He added: "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, with customers taking advantage of all the convenience and hassle free benefits of flying from Liverpool.”
Liverpool John Lennon is the 12th busiest airport in the country with 3.7m passengers between March 2022 and February 2023, compared to its nearest rival Manchester Airport which flew 24.7m people in the same period.
Jet2 has been flying from Manchester since 2004.
Liverpool will be the operator’s 11th UK airport.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said, “This announcement further expands our footprint and comes on the back of the enormous demand that 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 first Jet2 flight from the airport will depart on 28th March 2024.
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