Jet2.com celebrates 15 years since launching at Leeds Bradford Airport

After carrying more than 65 million customers, Leeds-based airline Jet2.com has marked  15 years since its first day of flying.

To mark the occasion, celebrations took place at the company’s first ever base, Leeds Bradford Airport, where exactly 15 years ago its first flight took off to Amsterdam.

For the financial year ended 31 March 2017,  the combined leisure travel business increased revenues by 24% to £1,565.8m.

Jet2.com customers and staff, including colleagues who worked at the airline on that very first day of operations and who were on the company’s first ever flight, were joined by Peter Andre for a morning of celebration.

The celebrity guest surprised customers at check-in and even boarded the aircraft to serenade customers and staff with a special ‘Happy Birthday’ rendition.

Back in 2003, the first ever Jet2.com flight took off from Leeds Bradford Airport to Amsterdam. With two aircraft serving nine destinations from Leeds Bradford Aiport that first year, the company has since grown to become the UK’s third largest airline with a fleet of 88 aircraft flying from nine UK bases.

Since the first day of flying on February 12 2003, the company has:

• Carried more than 65 million customers, including more than 23 million to and from its first base Leeds Bradford
• Launched from eight new bases, including the start of flights from Birmingham and London Stansted in March 2017
• Increased its fleet size from six to 88* with 34 brand new Boeing 737-800 being delivered between September 2016 and January 2019.

Its growth has seen the company grow the number of employees in Yorkshire from 80 to over 2,000, and means it will operate a fleet of 15 aircraft at the airport this summer. Today, the company operates to 54 destinations from its first ever base.

Steve Lee, commercial director of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, who was on the company’s first ever flight back 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.”