Jet2’s parent Dart Group says it is “fully focused on its package holidays offering” after posting final results which show an operating profit increase of 112% for the leisure travel part of the business.
Revenue in the leisure travel business – the airine Jet2.com and Jet2holidays tour operation – increased by 15% to £1,261.4 million, operating profit improved by 112% to £99.6 million and profit before tax increased by 82% to £104.2 million.
Year-end figures for the listed parent company show Jet2.com flew a total of 6.07 million passenger sectors and achieved an average load factor of 92.5%, alongside an increase in average net ticket yield of 14%.
Jet2holidays took 1.22 million customers on holiday – an increase of 22%.
“Real package holidays take considerable organisation and attention to detail,” said Dart Group chairman Philip Meeson. “Nearly 40% of our package holidays were sold on an all-inclusive basis.
“This is a resilient, great value offering for families on a tight budget and is particularly attractive for challenging economic time and to ensure that each of our customers has a happy holiday experience we employ nearly 300 representatives in holiday resorts, backed up by 24-hour customer helplines, to give practical assistance in all eventualities.”
He continued: “We are fully focused on our package holidays offering and its inherent higher margin and are encouraged that sales continue to grow, outstripping the market, as our reputation for providing ‘package holidays you can trust’ develops.
“We ensure that the customer is at the heart of everything we do as we strive to provide wonderful holidays through sustained investment in product, brand and customer service.”
In September last year Dart Group announced an agreement to purchase 27 new Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, and in December 2015, an agreement to purchase a further three new aircraft.
These will be delivered between September 2016 and April 2018.
Jet2 announced earlier this month that from April 2017 it will be offering its flights and package holidays from Birmingham Airport – its eighth UK aircraft base.