Travel agents have welcomed news Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will operate out of Liverpool John Lennon airport from next year.
The airline and its sister tour operator have announced 20 destinations for summer 2024 out of their 11th UK airport base.
The programme will start on March 28 and feature seven exclusive destinations: Alicante in mainland Spain; Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife in the Canary Islands; Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca in the Balearic Islands; Faro and Madeira in Portugal; Corfu, Crete, Kos, Rhodes and Zante in Greece; Paphos in Cyprus; Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum in Turkey; and Bourgas in Bulgaria.
Welcoming the move, agents said clients had been “crying out” for Jet2 to come to Liverpool.
Hays Travel North West managing director Don Bircham said: “It’s perfect news. We have 30 shops in north Wales and Merseyside and customers have been crying out for Jet2 to be in Liverpool.”
Around 90% of the agency’s departures are from Manchester, with around 5% out of Liverpool and 5% from other UK airports. Bircham believes there will be “significant movement” to Liverpool.
Polka Dot Travel director Mark Johnson described the expansion as a “very sensible” move by Jet2. “Our shops are geographically positioned very well to take full advantage of this. Plenty of customers have asked when Jet2 will fly from Liverpool so the news will be very well received.”
Another airport, outside of Manchester, will be amazing
Paula Nuttall, director, The Holiday Village, said the move would give more choice for clients. “We have 80 homeworkers, with a huge portion of these based in the north, so to have another airport, outside of Manchester, will be amazing.”
The Travel Village, the group’s retail shop in Blackpool, will also benefit, she said, adding: “For some Liverpool might be closer.”
Jet2 will operate up to 54 flights weekly on a fleet of four based aircraft, representing 565,000 seats on sale.
The exclusive routes from Liverpool will be Gran Canaria, Menorca, Madeira, Rhodes, Zante, Paphos and Bourgas.
Chief executive Steve Heapy said: “This announcement further expands our footprint and comes on the back of the enormous demand we know is out there from customers and independent agents across Liverpool, Merseyside and the wider region.
“We have seen demand really ramp up over the past couple of years, so we know there will be a fantastic response to this launch.”
The move will create more than 200 new jobs.
More: Jet2 unveils 11th base at Liverpool John Lennon Airport