Jet2.com, Europe's #4 independent LCC looks to grow

Jet2.com does not always receive the attention that its size now deserves. Its fleet trebled in size in the decade to 2019 and its annual passenger numbers doubled from the year ended Mar-2017 to the year ended Mar-2020.

Although its fleet growth may have been put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, its 90 aircraft still makes it Europe's fourth largest independent LCC fleet. The UK LCC overtook Norwegian in 2020 and now only Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air have larger fleets among this category of operator.

With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appearing to recede into the past, Jet2.com placed 57 aircraft orders in 2021. This breaks its tradition as an all-Boeing operator, but signals the likely price discount achieved by placing a counter-cyclical order when much of the aviation industry has been on its knees. It also underlines Jet2.com's growth aspirations.

The airline's CEO Steve Heapy said on 11-Feb-2022 he is "very confident that 2022 is the year when international travel gets back to how it looked before the pandemic". It will also be the year that Jet2.com consolidates is position as Europe's number four independent LCC.