Jet2 owner set to take off with £300m plane order
THE Dart Group, owners of the Jet2 brand, are set to acquire new Boeing planes worth £312m.
The Leeds-based business is purchasing four new Boeing 737-800NG aircraft in addition to the 30 aircraft it ordered in 2015 as it looks to expand and replace its current fleet.
The additional four aircraft will be delivered between August 2018 and January 2019.
The move comes with the company preparing a major investment in Birmingham Airport ahead of the launch of 15 new services next year.
The new aircraft cost US$384m or £312m according to list prices, but the company said it had negotiated “significant” discounts.
Dart said the aircraft will assist in meeting the anticipated growth of its leisure travel business and planned fleet replacement. The acquisition will be funded through a combination of internal resources and debt.
In November the Dart Group announced that revenues had increased more than £200m, making £1.24bn in revenues for the half year to 30 September 2016. Pre-tax profits were up 12% to £163.7m.
Earlier this year the group announced a major recruitment drive with 1,000 jobs being created across the UK, including 135 at Leeds Bradford Airport, as well as those for Birmingham.
