Jet2.com: The complete story (expected May 2026)

Jet2.com’s origin dates back to the early 1970s and the creation of Carpenter’s Air Services, which contracted space on Intra Airways’ cargo aircraft to ship fresh flowers and produce from Guernsey to the UK mainland. Subsequent expansion led to the creation of Express Air Services, with the introduction of passenger charter flights and acquisition of the first Royal Mail contract. The Dart Group purchased Express Air Services in 1983 and renamed it Channel Express. The carrier operated scheduled and ad hoc charter freight services throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa using a variety of aircraft. In October 2002, the Dart Group entered the low-cost airline market and launched Jet2.com, opening bases at Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Belfast International and Newcastle as the airline grew its route network. Jet2holidays was launched in 2007, offering package holidays which were served by its sister airline. By 2019, Jet2.com was carrying almost 14.5 million passengers annually, using a fleet of 100 aircraft operating from nine bases. These were increasingly Airbus A321s, marking a shift away from a predominantly Boeing fleet.

 

With more than 170 images, this book describes the history of Jet2.com from its predecessor Express Air Freight, through its growth and transformation into an award-winning scheduled airline.