Jet2 pilot and her ATC father share emotional final transmission before his retirement.

A recent Glasgow to Antalya flight was one that will live long in the memory of Jet2 First Officer Lauren Gott and her dad Ian, who made his last ever transmission to his daughter after 41 years working as an Air Traffic Controller.  

Lauren, 29, was operating a busy Jet2 flight to Antalya on Ian’s last working day at NATS’ Prestwick Centre before he retired, and a team effort by colleagues at Jet2.com and NATS made a dream come true for dad and daughter. 

As Lauren flew the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, her father was able to make his final transmission to Lauren’s aircraft. The transmission between Ian and his daughter brought down the curtain on over four decades of him controlling aircraft over the skies of the UK. 

During the transmission, Ian was able to say a few words to mark the end of his 41 year career. He broadcasted his pride at being able to share his final transmission with his daughter, Lauren, who in turn wished him a very happy retirement.  

Other Jet2 pilots who were on frequency at the time, were heard sharing their well wishes and congratulations to Ian. 

The transmission was understandably a proud and emotional moment for Lauren, who says that her father has been a guiding figure during her lifelong passion for aviation. Lauren joined Jet2.com as a Pilot Apprentice in 2020 and has been flying with the leading leisure airline from Glasgow Airport as a First Officer since 2022. 

Lauren said: “Since I started my flying career, my Dad has always dreamed about when the time came for him to retire, how special it would be if I could be the last person that he transmitted to over the radio. I’ll miss hearing his voice over the radio at work (and getting some great shortcuts!) but it’s been an absolute pleasure to share these final moments of his career in such a fitting way.” 

Ian Gott said: “I remember taking Lauren down to the airports in Glasgow and Prestwick when she was a young girl, and she would sit on the roof of the car mesmerised, shouting “jumbo” at everything! It sparked her interest in aviation early and by the age of seven, she was determined to become a pilot. I never would have thought all those years ago, that I would be making my last ever transmission from Prestwick Centre to my daughter as a First Officer for Jet2." 

He added: "It’s an emotional time for anyone leaving a job after so many years, but this has made it truly special for me.”  

.

Jet2 heading south with its next UK base........ Bournemouth

The UK’s largest tour operator and third largest airline, has this week put on sale 16 sunny destinations across Europe for Summer 2025 from its 12th UK base - Bournemouth!

This means that holidaymakers and independent travel agents across even more of the South of England, including Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth and the wider region, can benefit from Jet2's great value holidays and flights.

In their first summer of operations from Bournemouth Airport, Jet2 and Jet2holidays will operate up to 27 weekly flights, including multiple weekly flights to popular destinations across the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Turkey and Greece as well as services to hotspots such as Mainland Spain, Portugal and Madeira. 

The inaugural flight from the airport will depart to Tenerife on 1st April 2025, and the firm plans to base two aircraft at Bournemouth Airport for the season.  The new base represents a significant investment for the region too. More than 100 new jobs will be created initially, with positions available across the flight deck, cabin crew, engineering, and ground operations. Find out more about those jobs at https://www.jet2careers.com/  

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays said: “We know that customers and independent travel agents have been asking us for a long time to make this move, so we are absolutely delighted to be announcing today that Bournemouth Airport will become our 12th UK base airport. As Which? Travel Brand of the Year, we know that our award-winning flights and holidays will be enormously popular across the region, and we cannot wait to show everyone what we are all about.” 

He added: “This latest expansion is a further demonstration of our confidence, and it reflects our long-term strategy to be the UK's leading and best leisure travel business. We know that customers want to be properly looked after throughout their holiday experience, and we are making a significant investment in the region including the creation of over 100 new jobs to do exactly that. From today, we are counting down to the start of operations from Bournemouth Airport when we can delight customers, just as we have with millions of other customers from across the UK for so many years.” 

Andrew Bell, CEO of RCA, Regional and City Airports, who own Bournemouth Airport, said: “This is fantastic news for passengers and represents a huge vote of confidence in Bournemouth Airport by Jet2 and Jet2holidays, by choosing Bournemouth as their new base airport in what is a major expansion of their operations into the south of England. It will create new employment locally, add 16 fabulous new destinations from Bournemouth, up to 27 extra flights a week and will see an estimated additional 300,000 passengers using their local airport.” 

He added: “Together with our work on route development; our significant recent investments in new facilities, equipment and staff to build capacity; this exciting partnership with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays represents a step change in establishing Bournemouth Airport as a nationally significant regional hub for passenger air operations.” 

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ Summer 25 Programme from Bournemouth Airport: 

Tenerife – up to three weekly services  

Fuerteventura – weekly services (Wednesdays) – exclusive from Bournemouth Airport. 

Gran Canaria – weekly services (Sundays) 

Lanzarote – up to two weekly services (Mondays, Fridays) 

Alicante – up to two weekly services (Tuesdays, Saturdays) 

Palma (Majorca) – up to four weekly services (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays) 

Ibiza - up to two weekly services (Thursdays, Sundays) 

Menorca – weekly services (Sundays) 

Antalya – up to two weekly services (Wednesdays, Saturdays) 

Dalaman – up to two weekly services (Thursdays, Sundays) 

Faro (Algarve) – up to two weekly services (Mondays, Fridays) 

Madeira – weekly services (Thursdays) – exclusive from Bournemouth Airport.

Crete (Heraklion) – weekly services (Tuesdays) 

Corfu – weekly services (Wednesdays) 

Rhodes – weekly services (Tuesdays) 

Zante – weekly services (Thursdays) 

Jet2.com recognised by CAA for punctuality performance in Q4 of 2023

Jet2 has been recognised for its punctuality performance by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), after operating 77 percent of its flights on time between October and December 2023 which makes it the best of the UK’s major airlines. 

The latest Aviation Trends report from the CAA reviewed the on-time performance of both UK airlines and international airlines in the fourth quarter of 2023. It found that 67 percent of flights were on time overall. 

Jet2 surpassed the industry average, operating 77 percent of its flights on time – arriving or departing the gate within 15 minutes of their scheduled time - between October and December 2023. This achievement makes Jet2 the best of the UK’s major airlines for punctuality performance during that period.  

The full Aviation Trends report by the CAA for quarter four of 2023 can be found here -  57 (caa.co.uk)  

Jet2 is repeatedly recognised for its continued commitment to delivering industry-leading customer service, seeing the airline receive a high number of prestigious accolades, in recognition of the way it looks after customers. Earlier this year, the airline was ranked as amongst the very best companies in the UK for delivering outstanding customer service by the latest Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) and was also the only UK airline to be named a Which? Recommended Provider. 

Jet2holidays named as Headline Sponsor of Leeds Pride

Jet2holidays has been announced as the headline sponsor of Leeds Pride 2024.

The package holiday specialist, which is headquartered in Leeds and employs thousands of people across Leeds and Yorkshire, will proudly sponsor Yorkshire’s biggest celebration of LGBTQ+ life.

Leeds Pride 2024 promises to be the biggest and best pride celebration to date and takes place on Sunday 21st July 2024.

The sponsorship will see Jet2holidays host a range of exciting activities in the build-up to Leeds Pride 2024, as well as on the day itself. This includes heavyweight promotion as well as a Jet2holidays float on the day, holiday giveaways, competitions, exclusive access and much more.

The announcement strengthens Jet2holidays involvement with Leeds Pride after the company was announced as one of the sponsors in 2023.

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays said: “Jet2holidays is very proud to be the headline sponsor of Leeds Pride 2024. This wonderful event celebrates the diversity in our amazing city, and as a major employer across the region, as well as a company that takes so many people on their well-deserved holidays, we believe this is a great way to demonstrate our continued support for the LGBTQ+ community. We are looking forward to celebrating with everyone on the day and we have a host of exciting activities planned.”

Alfie Bailey, Director, of Leeds Pride 2024 said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Jet2holidays as our main sponsor for Leeds Pride 2024. Their support not only amplifies the reach of our message but also reflects their dedication to embracing diversity and championing LGBTQ+ rights. Together, we aim to create a memorable and impactful celebration for all.”

Jet2 and Jet2CityBreaks announce Gdansk as brand-new Christmas Market destination for Winter 24/25

Following a significant expansion to their Winter 24/25 Christmas Markets programme just a few weeks ago, Jet2 and Jet2CityBreaks are announcing further good news for next winter, with the launch of a brand-new Christmas Market destination – Gdansk.  

The leading leisure airline and UK’s largest operator of European city breaks are continuing to respond to exceptional demand from customers looking to explore some of the most magical destinations in Europe throughout the festive season, and have now launched festive flights and city breaks to Gdansk in Poland for the first time in response. 

Jet2 and Jet2CityBreaks will operate scheduled services and dedicated trips to Gdansk from Birmingham and Manchester Airports from 29th November to 23rd December 2024. Two weekly services (Monday and Friday) will operate from the airports during this time, giving customers and independent travel agents plenty of choice and flexibility when it comes to enjoying an authentic festive experience over the Christmas season to the Polish city.  

The Gdansk Christmas Market is considered one of the most beautiful Christmas Markets in Europe, and from November the Targ Węglowy area transforms into a winter wonderland with fairy tale illuminations, fairground attractions, a food zone, handmade gifts and local delicacies, and live artistic events. With a short flight time of just over two hours, the compact city, which was voted the 2nd best Christmas Market destination in Europe*, offers a picturesque and historic festive experience. As well as boasting a beautiful Christmas Market, Gdansk offers many other attractions, including the Museum of the Second World War, Gdansk Old Town, and the Dlugi Targ (Long Market), and the city’s waterfront location and extensive history means there is plenty to see and do.  

As a result of this most recent expansion, Jet2 and Jet2CityBreaks will operate to eight Christmas Market destinations for Winter 24/25 – Gdansk, Berlin, Budapest, Cologne, Copenhagen, Krakow, Prague and Vienna from across eleven of their UK airports (Belfast International, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon, Manchester, Newcastle International and London Stansted). The airline and tour operator’s Christmas Markets programme for next winter is their biggest to date, with more choices and destinations on sale than ever before. 

Jet2 is getting ready for Liverpool John Lennon Airport launch

The UK’s largest tour operator and third-largest airline, Jet2 will start operating flights and holidays from Liverpool John Lennon Airport with a service to Tenerife.

The airline and tour operator have put 20 sunshine destinations on sale for Summer 24 from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, including six destinations that are exclusive to Jet2 from Liverpool. The company has said that such was the demand and early booking from Liverpool for this coming summer, it will offer a much bigger schedule for summer 25.  

In their first summer of operations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Jet2 and Jet2holidays will operate up to 54 weekly flights, including 12 weekly flights to both the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. A fleet of four based aircraft will fly customers to a wide choice of destinations across Mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal, Madeira and Cyprus (full list of destinations below). 

This is a significant programme for the company’s first summer of operations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, representing 565,000 seats on sale. The programme includes six exclusive summer routes to Gran Canaria, Menorca, Rhodes, Zante, Madeira, and Bourgas (Bulgaria). With multiple weekly flights to many destinations, it means that customers can enjoy fantastic flexibility when it comes to choosing the duration of their holiday. 

Passengers flying from Liverpool check-in quickly and pass through the terminal with ease compared to many larger airports, with average security queue times of just 12 minutes last Summer and more on time departures than most other UK airports. 

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ Summer 24 Programme from Liverpool John Lennon Airport: 

Jet2 to operate flights to Agadir and Marrakech from London Stansted

London Stansted will soon offer new flights and holiday packages from Jet2 to Morocco.

The airline will operate year-round to Agadir and Marrakech, with flights and holidays on sale for both Winter 24/25 and Summer 25.

Flights to Marrakech will be twice weekly between October 4th, 2024 and November 14th, 2025, while flights to Agadir will be also twice weekly between October 3rd, 2024 and November 16th, 2025.  

Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director, said:  “It's great news that Jet2 is adding even more destinations to its already impressive schedule from London Stansted. With these new flights to Marrakech and Agadir, passengers will have even more choice of great value flights and holidays with the convenience of flying from their local airport.”

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays said:  “We are thrilled to be giving customers and independent travel agents even more choice from London Stansted Airport thanks to the launch of Morocco as a brand-new destination. With year-round availability to the magical destinations of Marrakech and Agadir, we are giving holidaymakers access to two famous holiday hotspots from their local airport. We are incredibly excited about these new destinations, and we know how immensely popular they will be with our customers.”

 “This latest expansion demonstrates the strength of our growing business, and it comes on the back of customers and independent travel agents across the region choosing to travel with us time and time again. Our award-winning proposition clearly continues to delight holidaymakers and we look forward to welcoming even more customers onboard thanks to the launch of these two brand-new destinations.”

Jet2 pioneers a new approach to in-flight retail with new mega centre.

The UK's leading holiday airline, Jet2 has officially opened a multi-million pound Retail Operations Centre, the first centre of its kind in the UK aviation industry, which aims to set new standards for customer-first service, efficiency and security.

During Summer 22, airlines faced supplier disruption affecting in-flight retail services. Consequently, Jet2 took the decision to take control over its most critical in-flight retail operations, with the new centre developed to create a strong foundation to deliver its award-winning customer service as well as drive growth.

The 150,000-square-foot facility, located in Middlewich, Cheshire, will act as a centre for Jet2.com to stock, manage and distribute millions of in-flight retail products for customers to enjoy on their well-deserved leisure flights. The products being managed include drinks and non-perishable food that can either be pre-ordered or which feature in the airline’s in-flight menu, as well as products that can be bought from the onboard shop, such as fragrances, beauty products, gifts and duty-free.

The Retail Operations Centre is the first of its kind in the UK, as no other UK airline has taken its in-flight retail operations in-house like this. During a typical year, it is expected that more than 25 million items will flow through the centre to be loaded onto the company’s growing fleet of aircraft.

Each day, items will be securely stored, packed and loaded onto thousands of bar carts, with each bar cart being securely screened in just six minutes by passing through one of four Cart X-ray scanners that have been installed at the centre. Bar carts will then be distributed to Jet2.com’s UK airport bases by a fleet of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays branded trailers.

Given the nature of the operation, the Retail Operations Centre has been through a strict security process to ensure that it complies with relevant regulations and has been approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays said: “Industry-leading customer service is a critical driver of our continued success, so we are absolutely delighted to be applying that to our in-flight retail operation. The opening of this multi-million pound Retail Operations Centre is a first for UK aviation and we know that this pioneering step will provide the very best service for our customers.”

He added: “This innovation represents a material investment in our operation and an enormous amount of work has gone into developing a world-class and industry-leading facility. The opening has created hundreds of new jobs too, and we are thrilled to welcome our new colleagues and look forward to them playing a critical role as we continue to succeed and grow.”

Jet2 puts massive summer programme on sale, but not for next year, on sale now is 2025 holidays!

Jet2 and Jet2holidays have just put on sale its biggest ever Summer Sun programme, but it is not for next year, it is for the year after!   

The biggest ever Summer Sun programme from the UK’s largest tour operator and leading leisure airline offers 46 sunshine destinations, representing over 16 million seats on sale and over 350 routes, including six new routes for Summer 25. This means a capacity increase of nearly 4% when compared to Summer 24, making it Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ largest-ever Summer Sun programme.  

Flights and holidays have gone on sale today for Summer 25 from Belfast International, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle International Airports, in response to strong demand from customers and independent travel agents wanting to book ahead and get their much-deserved summer holidays locked in.  

With more choice than ever before, the companies are giving customers and independent travel agents plenty of opportunity to reach their favourite sunshine destinations in the Canaries, Balearics, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Cyprus, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta, Bulgaria, France, Austria, and Portugal. To meet with demand, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have expanded their flying programmes to Bulgaria and Malta significantly for Summer 25, meaning even more opportunity to book a flight or holiday to these popular summer hotspots.   

Jet2 flight delayed after passenger claims to have ‘explosive device.’

A Jet2 aircraft was delayed at East Midlands Airport on Monday evening after one of the passengers said he had an explosive device 

The packed aircraft was scheduled to fly holidaymakers to Turkey when the alarm was raised at around 17.15 Monday 21st August.  Armed police and airport staff swung into action and the man was removed from the flight 

A spokesperson for the police said: "At 5.16pm today police were informed of a report of a male aboard an aircraft at East Midlands Airport who stated he was in possession of an explosive device.

The aircraft was on the ground at the time of the incident.

Officers worked with airport staff and with the aircraft crew to provide an immediate response to the report. In the interests of public and officer safety, armed officers were also deployed to the area of the aircraft. Following instructions, the man safely left the aircraft where he was arrested.

The aircraft has been fully searched. No explosive device has been found onboard and there is no suggestion that the threat made is viable.  Following initial assessment, it was not deemed that evacuation of the aircraft was required."

In videos of the incident shared on social media, the man appears to be laughing and grinning as an armed police officer beckons him forward and orders him to leave the aircraft. 

A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We can confirm that flight LS653 from East Midlands to Antalya returned to stand yesterday evening so that police could offload a disruptive passenger. 

The flight departed after the passenger was offloaded.  We would like to apologise to everyone onboard for any inconvenience or upset caused by this unforeseen incident."

The police confirmed the passenger in his late 40s had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an explosive substance and was released on bail while enquiries were ongoing. 

Jet2 usually has a strong policy on disruptive passengers, often billing them for the entire extra costs incurred during the subsequent delay. Unruly passengers often then have a lifetime ban from flying with the Jet2, however, the company have not advised what action they will take on this occasion. 

Jet2 heads to Verona from Glasgow for Summer 2024

The UK's leading leisure airline and holiday company, Jet2 will add a new direct service to the beautiful city of Verona to the airline’s Summer 24 programme from Glasgow Airport. 

The airline has responded to demand from customers and independent travel agents by adding flights, city breaks and holidays to the famous Italian city, which also gives customers access to the incredible Lake Garda.

From 8th May through to 25th September, the companies will operate weekly Wednesday services to Verona, famed as the setting for Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliette.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “As well as looking forward to a busy Summer 23, we are also seeing lots of customers want to book ahead for next summer from Glasgow Airport which is great news. In response to that, we are moving to give customers and independent travel agents even more choice thanks to the launch of flights, city breaks and holidays to Lake Garda and Verona for Summer 24.

"This expansion further strengthens a programme which is already our biggest ever, and we know that it will be very popular with customers and independent travel agents right across the region.”

Romance and ruins come together in idyllic Italian harmony in this picturesque UNESCO-stamped city. White-stone Porta Leoni is an old gate oozing character with two façades and remains of columns, while cinematic scenes can be found at tree-ringed Castel San Pietro. Ride up to it on the cable railway before enjoying river views from the ramparts. Oh, and don’t miss the Roman Arena, an enormous 1st-century amphitheatre right in Verona’s heart.

Verona ArenaThis Roman amphitheatre was built in 1st century and remains well preserved. Once where gladiator fights were held in front of a 30,000-strong crowd, today it’s better known for the opera performances that take place. View the structure from outside for free or pay the entrance fee to tour the grounds.
Piazza BraVerona’s largest piazza and main square is located in front of the city gates. It’s lined with cafes and restaurants, bars and peaceful open spaces to relax in. Among the historic buildings dating back 2,000 years, look out for landmarks like the Verona Arena amphitheatre, now a music venue, and Verona’s town hall.

Jet2 to start new route between Glasgow and Verona for Summer 2024

The UK's leading leisure airline and holiday company, Jet2 will add a new direct service to the beautiful city of Verona to the airline’s Summer 24 programme from Glasgow Airport. 

The airline has responded to demand from customers and independent travel agents by adding flights, city breaks and holidays to the famous Italian city, which also gives customers access to the incredible Lake Garda.

From 8th May through to 25th September, the companies will operate weekly Wednesday services to Verona, famed as the setting for Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliette.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “As well as looking forward to a busy Summer 23, we are also seeing lots of customers want to book ahead for next summer from Glasgow Airport which is great news. In response to that, we are moving to give customers and independent travel agents even more choice thanks to the launch of flights, city breaks and holidays to Lake Garda and Verona for Summer 24.

"This expansion further strengthens a programme which is already our biggest ever, and we know that it will be very popular with customers and independent travel agents right across the region.”

Romance and ruins come together in idyllic Italian harmony in this picturesque UNESCO-stamped city. White-stone Porta Leoni is an old gate oozing character with two façades and remains of columns, while cinematic scenes can be found at tree-ringed Castel San Pietro. Ride up to it on the cable railway before enjoying river views from the ramparts. Oh, and don’t miss the Roman Arena, an enormous 1st-century amphitheatre right in Verona’s heart.

Verona ArenaThis Roman amphitheatre was built in 1st century and remains well preserved. Once where gladiator fights were held in front of a 30,000-strong crowd, today it’s better known for the opera performances that take place. View the structure from outside for free or pay the entrance fee to tour the grounds.
Piazza BraVerona’s largest piazza and main square is located in front of the city gates. It’s lined with cafes and restaurants, bars and peaceful open spaces to relax in. Among the historic buildings dating back 2,000 years, look out for landmarks like the Verona Arena amphitheatre, now a music venue, and Verona’s town hall.

UK holiday firm Jet2 issues statement on its Rhodes operations.

UK holiday firm and leisure airline Jet2 has issued the following statement and update on its operations to and from Rhodes during the current wildfires. 

Yesterday - Monday 24th July, Jet2.com operated ten flights to the UK from Rhodes, which included four repatriation flights and six scheduled flights. Approximately 1,000 customers who have been displaced either flew back to the UK with us or were moved to hotels in unaffected areas. 

We will operate a repatriation programme today in tandem with today’s programme of nine scheduled flights, which will meet the demand we  have.    

We have a hugely expanded team of colleagues in Rhodes, and they are present throughout resorts, evacuation centres, and at Rhodes Airport. Our colleagues are highly visible in their red uniforms and are working around the clock to communicate with, and look after, our customers. They are working in extremely difficult circumstances, and we are incredibly grateful for their efforts. 

Although events moved incredibly quickly over the weekend, it is extremely important to note that we acted immediately to suspend flights and holidays to Rhodes when we learned that the authorities were asking hotels in affected areas to evacuate.  

Wildfires in Rhodes prompt evacuation flights for troubled tourists

The horrendous wildfires on the Greek islands have left scores and scores of tourists needing to be evacuated from the affected areas, with Rhodes being particularly badly hit.

Some of the leading UK holiday airlines are adding extra services to the islands to bring people home early. 

Jet2 has cancelled all flights and holidays going to Rhodes for at least seven days. The company is operating five empty aircraft to the island over the next few hours to bring people back. 

Tui has cancelled all its flights to the island until Wednesday, however, it advises that customers currently in Rhodes will only be able to return on their intended flights home

easyJet has said it intends to operate two rescue flights today, with another tomorrow in addition to its normal nine scheduled flights between Rhodes and the UK

British Airways said its flights to Rhodes were running as normal, but passengers are able to postpone and / or change their flights free of charge. 

Thomas Cook has axed some holidays to affected areas and offered a refund to those customers. Customers with packages booked this week to other areas of Rhodes will be offered the option to either continue with plans or cancel and get a refund. 

Ryanair is operating flights as per normal schedule, yet is monitoring the situation carefully.

Corfu is beginning an evacuation, with almost 2500 people moved to safety overnight and more will be moved today according to local firefighters. 

Local news agency ANA-MPA has reported that parts of the island of Evia have also been or are in the process of being evacuated. Residents in Livadi, Potami, Pernaraki and Platanisto - have been told to evacuate for precautionary measures and move towards the area of Karystos.

Unruly airline passenger incidents are on the increase.....

There is no doubt that unruly airline passenger incidents are on the increase and pose a continuous problem for the aviation industry - specifically for the flight attendants who have the responsibility of managing cabin safety, but also for other passengers who have to witness such incidents or are in other ways affected by them. 

An example of this unruly behaviour occurred on a Glasgow to Tenerife in early April this year that saw the UK's third largest airline Jet2, ban passenger Eric Forrest, 55, from Beith for life from flying with the airline for life over a catalogue of disgraceful behaviour on the flight, week, which included urinating in the cabin and intimidating other passengers including children. Jet2 is also billing Forrest for all the costs associated with the delays and diversion his actions caused. 

There are a multitude of events which appear in both aviation and the mass media, and an even greater number of unreported incidents, which plague the industry and impact crewmembers, and the travelling public, around the globe. DISPAX World 2023 returns this year in a post-pandemic environment, yet at a time of geopolitical turmoil, to explore best practices for mitigating the ever-evolving challenges posed to the aviation industry by passenger behaviour.

DISPAX WORLD 2023,   Czech Republic,  11 - 12 October 2023 

DISPAX World 2023 is the 4th international conference on unruly passenger management and restraint. Its overall aim is to increase awareness and knowledge regarding the causal factors of disruptive behaviour, share best practice between carriers, and to provide a forum in which industry professionals can discuss innovative techniques for the improvement of the quality of training afforded crew to both prevent incidents escalating in the first place and, should that fail, to ensure they have the skillsets to manage aggression and violence in the skies. 

The fourth edition of the conference – being the first in the post-pandemic era - will be addressing:

Best practice in aircrew security training;

Quashing myths associated with the causes of unruly behaviour;

Responsibility of airlines to address forseeable risk;

Airport best practice in unruly pax management; 

Xenophobia and extremism in the aircraft cabin;

Biomechinical considerations in physical interventions;

Faked disruptive behaviour to disguise other criminal acts;

Sexually abusive behaviour towards crew and fellow passengers; and,

Demonstrations of restraint kits

DISPAX World 2023 will take place at Prague Airport’s Congress Hall.

The Programme...

The programme, chaired by Philip Baum (Managing Director, Green Light and Visiting Professor, Aviation Security, at Coventry University) includes presentations from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Transport Workers Federation, academics and representatives of a broad range of airlines keen to demonstrate their approach to unruly airline passenger management and restraint.

To see the continually updated programme online, do visit us at: 

Programme – DISPAX WORLD

Organiser 

Green Light Ltd. is a London-based security training and consultancy company which specialises in aviation security and, in particular, the delivery of training courses on Inflight Security and Unruly Passenger Management and Restraint.

Green Light organised DISPAX World conferences in 2009 (Istanbul), in 2014 (London) and in 2019 (London). Other events organised by Green Light have included: Body Search 2015 (London); Inflight Emergency Response 2016 (Riga); Behavioural Analysis 2018 (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales), Behavioural Analysis 2019 (Mall of America, Minneapolis, USA), Behavioural Analysis Week Online 2020 (Online, Global) and Behavioural Analysis 2022 (University of Northampton, UK) and Behavioural Analysis 2023 (Prague Airport, Czech Republic)

You can read more about the organiser at:-

www.avsec.com 

You can read more about previous DISPAX World conferences at:-

http://dispax.world/past-conferences/ 

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Jet2 welcomes first brand new Airbus A321neo

Earlier this month, Jet2 and Jet2holidays celebrated the arrival of its first brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft.   

Jet2 plc has purchased 98 firm-ordered Airbus A321/A320 neo aircraft, which could eventually extend to 146 aircraft if all options are taken up. With a capacity of 232 passengers, the new Airbus A321neo, the aircraft will enable Jet2 and Jet2holidays to grow more sustainably in line with the demand for leisure travel from the UK.  

The new Airbus A321neo aircraft demonstrates Jet2’s commitment to sustainability and its vision to become one of the leading brands in sustainable air travel and package holidays, as they deliver an almost 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat against previous generation single-aisle aircraft models.  

Steve Heapy, CEO at Jet2 & Jet2holidays said: “The first of the brand-new Airbus A321 neo aircraft to come into operation this week is a real milestone in the history of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays. As more of these new aircraft come into our fleet, they will play a huge role in supporting our continued growth, whilst providing more choice, comfort and quality than ever before for our customers.” 

He added: “As well as ensuring that we continue to deliver our award-winning customer experience, in our view the Airbus A321 neo is one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class. As such, these aircraft are ensuring that we deliver a VIP customer service whilst further reducing emissions per passenger. This makes a very exciting time for Jet2 and Jet2holidays as we welcome the first of the brand-new aircraft into the fleet, and we look forward to welcoming even more customers onboard.” 

And the next Jet base will be ..............

Jet2 and Jet2holidays have chosen the next base, the 11th, for the UK's leading leisure airline and holiday company.

 Liverpool John Lennon Airport 

Jet2 has now put 20 sunshine destinations on sale for Summer 24 from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which is in response to enormous demand from customers and independent travel agents across the region. 

The new programme includes seven destinations that are exclusive to Jet2 and Jet2holidays from Liverpool. The first Jet2 flight from the airport will depart on 28th March 2024 and will be the first of up to 54 weekly flights, including 12 flights to both the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands every week. 

Jet2 will base a fleet of four aircraft at Liverpool to operate the summer schedule and is a  significant investment and programme for the company, which will offer around 565,000 over the summer. It is expected that opening this new base will create more than 200 new jobs. These positions will be available across the flight deck, cabin crew, engineering, and ground operations and more for Jet2 and in the greater aviation supply industries. 

Jet2holidays launched in 2007 and today it is the UK’s largest tour operator with an ATOL licence to carry 5.86 million passengers. When it launched in 2007, it had an ATOL licence to carry just 23,000 passengers to 15 destinations whereas today it operates to more than 65 destinations across the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Europe. As well as package holidays through Jet2holidays, customers can choose packages through Jet2Villas, Indulgent Escapes, VIBE by Jet2holidays and Jet2CityBreaks. This extensive product range means that the company has something for everyone travelling from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, whether that be families, couples, groups, solo travellers, millennials, or those looking for a taste of luxury.  

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays said: “We are absolutely delighted to be expanding our award-winning flights and holidays to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which becomes our 11th UK airport base. This announcement further expands our footprint and comes on the back of the enormous demand that we know is out there from customers and independent travel agents across Liverpool, Merseyside and the wider region. We have seen that demand really ramp up over the past couple of years, so we know there will be a fantastic response to this launch. We have seen time and time again how popular our product is when we bring it to new customers, and we look forward to showcasing our VIP customer service to holidaymakers from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and delighting them with our product.”   

Lifetime ban and hefty bill for Jet2 passenger who urinated in the cabin......

The third largest airline in the UK, Jet2 has banned Eric Forrest, 55, from Beith from flying with the airline for life over a catalogue of disgraceful behaviour on the Glasgow to Tenerife flight last week, which included urinating in the cabin and intimidating other passengers including children

His disruptive appalling behaviour on Thursday 13th April meant the flight had to be diverted to Faro, Portugal so Forrest could be off-loaded and detained by police. After the 55-year-old was offloaded, the other customers had to disembark the aircraft in Faro so it could be cleaned before departing to Tenerife.

As well as causing a delay to customers looking forward to their well-deserved holidays in Tenerife, this also meant customers due to travel back to Glasgow from Tenerife had to spend another night in their destination due to the late arrival of the aircraft.

Jet2 and Jet2holidays arranged overnight hotel accommodation and refreshments for these customers, however this obviously caused considerable inconvenience for customers and families on their journey home after their holidays. The customers were flown back to Glasgow on Friday.

The company has confirmed it will now vigorously pursue Forrest for the full recovery of all costs incurred by this diversion, which is likely to be in excess of £25,000. These costs include hotel accommodation for all customers and crew in Tenerife, airport charges, fuel costs, and cleaning costs. The airline has also confirmed that it will assist the authorities with any legal action they wish to take.

 

Jet2 gets its first Airbus A321neo.

A few weeks ago UK holiday airline Jet2  welcomed its first new Airbus  A321neo, registration G-SUNB, which can carry up to 232 passengers.  

The latest addition left the Airbus factory in blue and white livery and after gaining our Jet2holidays colours in East Midlands flew on to Manchester where the jet's entry in service will be completed, this includes the installation of our latest Acro seats. The aircraft is set to join revenue service for the carrier early next month from Manchester and will be the first of many A321s to join the fleet in the coming years.  

Jet2 is the UK's third largest airline, flying from ten UK airports to more than 65 destinations across Europe and beyond. Since its first flight in 2003, the carrier has grown a fleet of 34 Boeing 737-800NG planes and has an order of 60 new Airbus A321neo planes. 

Jet2 awarded Airline Market Leader at the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards.

Jet2.com has been awarded with the prestigious accolade of Airline Market Leader at the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards.

The ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards recognise excellence across a broad range of airline operations globally and are widely considered the most coveted in the air transport industry.

Jet2.com was praised for developing a network of leisure services across Europe, holding the number one position in many markets.

The award also recognises the increasing number of sales accounted for by Jet2holidays, as well as Jet2.com's focus on profitability, operational reliability, customer service and a net zero strategy that is committed to addressing sustainability at every stage of the journey.

The 49th ATW Awards, sponsored by CFM International, will be presented at a gala dinner on Friday 2nd June, ahead of the 79th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit.