Jet2 and Jet2holidays’ first flights to Athens took off from Manchester and Birmingham airports today (Thursday).
The airline will run two flights a week to the Greek capital on Thursdays and Sundays from the two airports until the end of October.
The start of flights and city breaks to Athens is part of an expanded summer programme as the company consolidates its position as the UK’s leading airline and tour operator to Greece.
Capacity to the country has been boosted by 86% over pre-pandemic summer 2019 with 500,000 extra seats to give a total of 1.1 million.
The company will also operate to the new summer destinations of Sardinia from Manchester and Stansted airports, plus Sicily from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Stansted from May 1.
Chief executive Steve Heapy said: “As the UK’s leading airline and tour operator to Greece, we are delighted to see our first flights take off to Athens from Manchester and Birmingham airports today.
“It is fantastic to be operating flights and city breaks to this historic city for the first time, as we know that Athens is a destination that customers want to get to.
“Since putting services on sale to Athens, customers have been flocking to book a getaway to the destination, proving just how popular the Greek hotspot is with holidaymakers.
“As well as operating to Athens for the first time, we are very pleased to be offering an enormous programme for summer ‘22.
“With 15 destinations on sale to Greece this summer from across our network of 10 UK bases, we are giving customers and independent travel agents unrivalled choice.”