Jet2.com today marked its 15th anniversary with celebrations led by singer Peter Andre.
Airline passengers and staff, including colleagues who worked at the airline on the first day of operations and who were on the company’s first ever flight, joined together a morning of celebration at Leeds Bradford airport.
The celebrity guest surprised customers at check-in and boarded the aircraft to serenade customers and staff with a special ‘Happy Birthday’ rendition.
Andre also launched a competition called ‘15 Seconds of Fame’ to mark the 15th anniversary.
By creating a video to capture the spirit of Jet2.com, one customer can win 15 free return flights, and 15 runners up can win a pair of free flights.
The first Jet2.com flight took off from Leeds Bradford airport to Amsterdam in 2003.
With two aircraft serving nine destinations from the Yorkshire airport that first year, the company has since grown to become the UK’s third largest airline with a fleet of 88 aircraft flying to 65 destinations from nine UK bases.
Since the first day of flying on February 12, 2003, the company has carried more than 65 million passeners, including more than 23 million to and from its first base Leeds Bradford.
Steve Lee, commercial director of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, who was on the company’s first ever flight in 2003 said: “Today marks 15 years of Jet2.com and is a great chance to look back on what has been achieved since we launched.
“The things that mattered to customers 15 years ago, such as VIP customer service, great flight times and value, are just as important today and that is what we have focused on resolutely for the past decade and a half.
“Our family friendly formula means we have expanded to become the third largest airline, whilst winning a string of accolades at the same time.
“As we look forward to the next 15 years and beyond, our commitment to those same values remains at the heart of everything we do.”
The company last year also celebrated ten years of package holiday specialist Jet2holidays, now the UK’s second largest Atol holder.