Business

Jet2 reports accelerating bookings but faces £383m loss

Jet2 is one of the biggest operators at Belfast International Airport.
Jet2 is one of the biggest operators at Belfast International Airport. Jet2 is one of the biggest operators at Belfast International Airport.

HOLIDAY giant Jet2 has said the relaxation of travel restrictions led to a significant increase in bookings in February and March, although the firm still expects a huge loss for the past year.

The company, which is one of the biggest operators at Belfast International Airport, said bookings for the period approached "seasonal norms as customer confidence in travelling internationally rallied".

The West Yorkshire-based travel firm said it was also positive about the summer, reporting "encouraging" booking patterns and highlighted that its flight capacity was 14 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Jet2 is set to increase its activity at Aldergrove to 12 routes by May, with plans for a further nine destinations from September and October.

It comes as Belfast International announced that upwards on 50 destinations will operate from the airport this summer.

Holiday airline Tui is set to up its activity, while Virgin Atlantic will resume its summer service to Orlando.

The airline industry continues to feel massive repercussions from the pandemic. Jet2 said on Friday that it expects to post a pre-tax loss of up to £383 million for the year to the end of March.

Jet2 said it saw an increase in passenger numbers in October and November last year after the UK Government dropped the pandemic traffic light system.

However, it said improving customer sentiment faded in December and January as trade was affected by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and the reintroduction of some travel restrictions as a result.