Jet2 ‘not doing long-haul’ – despite leasing Airbus A330 (2024)

FAQs

Jet2 ‘not doing long-haul’ – despite leasing Airbus A330? ›

Jet2 has ruled out entering the long-haul sector despite bringing a wide-body aircraft

When asked why it wasn't on the cards now, Steve said: “The most important element that we don't have is the aircraft.” He said Jet2 could pick up aircraft 'reasonably cheaply', but these would be older jets with 25% more fuel consumption than modern jets, pushing up operating costs.

The A330-300 has a range of 11,750 km (6,340 nmi; 7,300 mi) with 277 passengers, while the shorter A330-200 can cover 13,450 km (7,260 nmi; 8,360 mi) with 247 passengers. Other variants include the A330-200F dedicated freighter, the A330 MRTT military tanker, and the ACJ330 corporate jet.

It is a versatile platform that delivers highly efficient performance for airlines, from short-haul segments to long-range routes over distances of up to 7,200nm.

These aircraft are intended to increase fleet size and replace existing Boeing 757 and Boeing 737-300 aircraft, both of which are slowly being retired. In 2024, Jet2 will retrofit 50 Boeing 737-800s with Split-Scimitar Winglets, making the aircraft more fuel efficient.

Jet2 has confirmed in its latest performance update that it has extended its existing deal with Airbus to purchase 12 more A320neo family aircraft.

Almost 30,000 readers voted in the awards, widely praising Jet2 for its clear contact with passengers, and giving refunds without fuss. Further down the table, easyJet took 10th place, Ryanair 22nd and Wizz Air came 23rd – the very last place.

The problem is that the shrunk A330-800 was designed with range as its selling point — it can fly about 1,000 miles further than the A330-900's nearly 8,300-mile range. But because the A330-800 has fewer seats, the operating costs end up higher than what airlines are willing to pay.

But it is rarely used on flights over 10 hours. The reason for this is that the A330 has a smaller fuel capacity than other wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A350. This means that it has a shorter range and cannot fly as far as these other planes without refueling.

Versatility. The Airbus A330 is able to fly any route between 20 minutes and 17 hours, without stopping. This makes it one of the most versatile wide body aircraft in the world.

Does Jet2 have an A330? ›

Jet2 (United Kingdom) (LS, Leeds/Bradford) has signed a three-year contract with AirTanker (9L, Brize Norton) covering two A330-200s, which will be wet-leased for the Summer 2023 season and then damp-leased to the leisure-focused low-cost carrier.

The oldest aircraft in Jet2's current fleet are its eight examples of the Boeing 757-200. While these larger twinjets provide useful extra capacity on high-demand routes, their days appear to be numbered. Indeed, their average age is a mighty 32.2 years old.

Since our first flight in 2003, we've grown our fleet, and in Summer 2023, we operated 119 planes. That included the first of our brand-new Airbus A321 neo aircraft which came into operation in May 2023. We've also now sold more than 100 million seats!

Getting to New York with Jet2

They stopped the route in 2018, prior to Covid-19, and it is hoped they will restart the route in future. As a result, you can still get to NYC with other airlines like Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and others, from your local airport, both direct and indirect flights.

The best short-haul airlines

If you're heading off on short-haul, you're unlikely to go wrong with Jet2, according to the study. It scored a whopping 81% overall and picked up full marks from travellers for the customer service on offer.

Jet2.com is suspending services to the resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada from March 1 because of the political unrest. The company said the "safety and comfort of our customers is our number one priority" and has pledged to refund bookings.