NEWS


Jet2 to open new base at Bristol airport


Lucy Huxley


Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has announced its 10th UK base will be in Bristol, giving the airline and operator a foothold in the southwest of England. The company has put 33


destinations on sale from Bristol including 29 for summer 2021 and 11 for winter 2021-22. Jet2, the UK’s second-largest tour


operator, last added new bases in 2017 with the addition of Birmingham


and Stansted. Bristol becomes its most-southerly airport base. Chief executive Steve Heapy said:


“This is an incredibly exciting day for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays. We know how much demand there is, because we have been listening to customers and independent travel agents in the region for some time. “We are delighted to be bringing


them the news that they have been looking forward to, meaning that they can finally enjoy real package holidays from Bristol airport.”


Jet2.com will operate four exclusive routes from Bristol


The move has created 200 jobs


for flight and cabin crew, engineers and ground operations staff. Jet2’s summer 2021 programme


from Bristol includes four exclusive routes: Izmir in Turkey; Kalamata and Lesvos, in Greece; and Costa de Almería in Spain. There will be up to 56 weekly flights to destinations in mainland Spain, the Canary and Balearic islands, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Portugal, representing 450,000 seats on sale. The first flight is due to depart for Lanzarote on April 1.


Heapy said the opening of a 10th


base reflects Jet2’s long-term strategy to “become the UK’s leading leisure travel business”. “We cannot wait to launch operations, and we look forward to taking holidaymakers from Bristol airport on a package holiday they can trust,” he added. Dave Lees, chief executive of


Bristol airport, added: “Never has it been more important for the region to look to the future, and Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have shown confidence in the strength of the region.”


Surveys show demand amid concerns Ian Taylor


Significant numbers of holidaymakers are keen to travel as soon as restrictions ease, but many would prefer an empty seat next to them on a flight rather than Covid tests at airports or even pre-departure tests, according to consumer research. A survey across nine major


markets found almost one in four UK travellers would be happy to visit a destination without restrictions, regardless of Foreign Office advice. However, only 43% of UK


travellers said they would be “comfortable” taking a flight compared with half across all nine markets, and almost two in five (37%) of UK respondents admitted


travelweekly.co.uk


being “uncomfortable” about flying. The proportion comfortable to


stay in a hotel was also significantly lower in the UK at 48% compared with 60% across all markets. Yet UK travellers appear more confident using public transport, with more than 40% comfortable against less than one-third overall. Travellers viewed cleaning and


face masks as the most important health and safety measures, but 40% said they would prefer an empty seat next to them on an aircraft. That compared with 25% who


favoured pre-departure testing and fewer than one in five (18%) in favour of airport tests. The survey, by consultancy firm


Oliver Wyman, involved 4,600 adults who flew at least once in 2019 in the


Many passengers woud prefer an empty seat next to them


UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, China and Australia. It found more travellers in the


UK, France and Germany planning international trips than domestic breaks for their next holidays, while


more respondents in the US, China, Spain and Italy planned domestic trips. The research, in September and


October, found price remains the number-one influence on consumer choice everywhere but China. However, a separate survey in


September on behalf of travel PR and marketing agency Lotus suggested two-thirds (66%) of UK travellers would not be swayed by holiday offers. The Lotus research among


3,000 adults who had travelled in the previous two years found one in three (32%) had not changed their travel plans for the next 12 months. However, 29% said they would not travel abroad until there is a vaccine and another 29% said they would


travel abroad less than they used to. i Special Report, page 10


12 NOVEMBER 2020 7


PICTURE: Shutterstock


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