Jet2 start Leeds-EWR Service

I think this is LROM et al's idea of hell (and mine if Im honest).

Jet2.com, the Leeds based low cost carrier owned by cargo airline Channel Express, has announced that from October it will be starting services to JFK from Leeds Bradford.

LBA has for a long time been after a direct TATL with the usual suspects of CO/AA/DL interested but turned off by the proximity of Manchester.

Now it seems they have their wish. Still questions over what a/c type will operate the route. One would persume they will use a 757 which they will get wingleted and ETOPS approval for and one would guess it will be in a Y class and Jet2plus/business class layout. Rumours had suggested they may get a 767.

Schedule is rather odd, seems to be once weekly with the outbound operates on a Thursday and return on a Sunday evening. I think, although may not be correct, that the route will be a charter type operation aimed purely at weekend breaks and the Christmas shopping market. ALthough I cannot believe for one second that they will have a plane sat at JFK for the best part of four days or indeed loose money (and crew) by flying it back empty and then out again empty on the Sunday.

All very strange.

Of course lets hope they have taken on board the mistakes of GSM at Liverpool and will be cautious in their operations (maybe this explains the one weekly flight).

Prices start at 525 for a Y return ticket although you can get three nights in a 3 star hotel and flights for something just shy of 600.

THoughts?

[Neil]

This sounds a very strange idea. Yes us Northern folk could do with another outlet to the States but the prices don't seem cheap, and I wonder, like with charters/LCC's, how many 'extras' you will have to pay for too(sitting together, luggage, food ).

The schedule seems very strange too, and having limited times when you can go/come back will only deter people imo. I could maybe see it working if most of the seats were chartered by some of these companies who offer specific weekend breaks but for your general pax looking for a flight I can't see it being massively appealing.

Neil

Seems this is a very limited service - perhaps only 3 or 4 return flights.
They may simply be testing the market. The front 9 rows are blocked off to a third party so Jet2 may simply be selling the remainder.

At first I thought they may be doing a wet lease but they have been advertising internally for flight crew prepared to do long haul. Rumour is that they may be considering Orlando so may give some competition to VS - not much at those prices however!

Major problem from Leeds - its a shorter runway - even less than Newcastle, so operations may be restricted.

Originally posted by Neil

The schedule seems very strange too, and having limited times when you can go/come back will only deter people imo.

Which has always been the factor that puts me off the higher end charter operations...

Paul

Their graces shudder at anything to do with LCC's [:D]

I wonder how they've managed to get a slot at JFK? Remember they're looking to reduce the number of carriers using JFK with any new slots being sold to the highest bidder.

I believe the flights are to Newark - not JFK

mcmbenjamin - Thread title changed to reflect correct data

Originally posted by Bill S
I believe the flights are to Newark - not JFK

That will make sense Bill [y]

BTW Is there any news yet on the appointment yet of an Air Gru for NYC as announced by George Bush months ago?

BTW Is there any news yet on the appointment yet of an Air Gru for NYC as announced by George Bush months ago?

FAA moves very slowly - but generates a lot of paper.
Latest briefing

Original post got deleted

The new TATL flights will be operated by an ETOPS-certified Boeing 757 recently acquired from TUIFly Nordic (G-LSAJ) and aptly named 'Jet2 New York'.

It has long been rumoured that Jet2 want to enter the long-haul market and with the global economy supposedly heading towards a recession combined with Jet2's initiative of cashing in on the Christmas shoppers, we can safely assume that these flights are testing the waters to see what demand is like. One can presume that if the initial flights are a success then Jet2 will commit to a schedule of TATL/long-haul flights from LBA and other airports.

The 757 is perfect for New York flights from LBA as it has the range and the power to operate from runways with short lengths (LBA is just over 7,000ft and FlyGlobespan had LPL-JFK flights last year with the 757 on a runway of similar length).

As for LRotherhaM I imagine on the quiet he'll be eager to try out the flights for the sake of Yorkshire pride! [}:)][:o)]

Perhaps a little off-track but relevant to posts on NYC flightpath changes above.