TTG are reporting this, looks like Doncaster as a base?
Expanding Jet2 plans ninth UK base
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Chris Gray
Jet2.com is planning to set up in a ninth UK base following its move into East Midlands airport and expansion at Newcastle and Manchester airports.
Managing director Ian Doubtfire said Jet2 would be setting up another UK base next year. He would not divulge where, but ruled out airports in the south of England.
The no-frills airline is stationing a Boeing 757 at East Midlands from May next year to operate flights to Lanzarote, Tenerife, Dalaman, Corfu, Heraklion, Paphos and Sharm el Sheikh.
The move into East Midlands was revealed last week following announcements of five new routes at Newcastle and three at Manchester – following Ryanair’s announcement that it was setting up a base at Jet2’s headquarters in Leeds.
Jet2 has been known as a northern airline, with a heartland around its bases in Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester, and East Midlands is its first venture south of Yorkshire.
Doubtfire said it was a natural progression as the Jet2 brand was known in cities such as Sheffield in the northern part of East Midlands’ catchment area.
Doubtfire said a second aircraft could be placed at East Midlands within three years if demand took off as expected. Placing the initial aircraft there will create 250 jobs.
East Midlands chief executive Penny Coates said Jet2’s routes would fill in gaps in the airport’s portfolio because research showed the routes would meet demand from local customers who were currently travelling outside the area to other airports farther away.