Jet2 are to open an alicante base, with 2 B737-300's based there for Summer 2013.

Sounds really interesting. Wonder if there are starting new routes (most probably) or just increasing frequencies. Lets just hope it doesn't go like Monarch's bage in Malaga did.

It is interesting, do they just plan on flying to their existing UK bases, or are they going to add further UK destinations ? 2 B737's is quite a lot to fill.

Very interesting. Where did that rumour come from? Any facts to back it up?

Not a rumour FW, announced to crews this morning looking for volunteers to crew the operation:ok:

Good that they're asking UK crews to be based there. When I first heard I thought they would be on cheap local contracts a la Norwegian and Finnair. Nice to see them expanding onto mainland Europe.

Sounds like a strategy to increase the Jet2 Holiday programme, serving airports in the UK where they are not based.

Regards

Malaga

Thats exactly what i thought, if they are then surely DSA, CWL, BRS, SEN, and all the rest are bound to get a piece of the action ? 2 based aircraft is quite a lot to fill.

Jet2 have alluded to ABZ in the past, so it would be nice to see them here. ALC was a popular route. We shall see.

I wonder if they would just stay Northern? I doubt they would try DSA though, sounds interesting, has any other airlines tryed this (apart from the obvious EZY and RYR)

Since it will be losing EasyJet's Alicante route in June, is Stansted not in with a chance if they are going to start new destinations?

Schedule, or at least some of it, have already been put up on the website for the early departures (0630).

Monday - Newcastle
Wednesday - Belfast
Thursday - Blackpool and Newcastle
Friday - Edinburgh
Saturday - Belfast
Sunday - Glasgow

Just seen the crew notice from another source. Looks like interesting times to come.

So far as things stand the Alicante based Jet2.com Boeing 737-300 will operate the following scheduled next summer.

Mondays
LS740 = ALC 07:30 – BLK 09:30
LS739 = BLK 10:55 – ALC 14:45
Tuesdays
LS178 = ALC 07:30 - GLA 09:45
LS177 = GLA 10:30 – ALC 14:45
Wednesdays
LS302 = ALC 07:30 – BFS 09:40
LS301 = BFS 10:40 – ALC 14:45
Thursdays
LS586 = ALC 07:30 – NCL 09:35
LS585 = NCL 10:40 – ALC 14:45
Fridays
LS776 = ALC 07:30 – EDI 09:45
LS775 = EDI 10:30 – ALC 14:45
Saturdays
LS302 = ALC 07:30 – BFS 09:40
LS301 = BFS 10:40 – ALC 14:45
Sundays
LS586 = ALC 07:30 – NCL 09:35
LS585 = NCL 10:40 – ALC 14:45

Plenty of room for some extra work to be added in the afternoon for it...

That schedule doesn't seem to account for two based aircraft though?

Also the standard turn around times of either 40 or 60 minutes do not seem to be adopted. It seems they want the aircraft to leave at 07:30 and return at 14:45 every day unless it's just that the slots available forces them to do that?

Having worked in travel retail for a number of years, these early flights from ALC are not going to be overly popular with the passengers, great times leaving the UK but not the other way around. If your in Benidorm which most passengers will be, then you need a two hour check in roughly, then about another hour transfer so you will be leaving your Benidorm hotel about 4:30 in the morning to come home.

Question about extra legroom seating on Jet 2.
 

Can anyone in the know please confirm if its correct that the extra legroom seats are now only the exit seats. The front rows in the aircraft are now showing as standard seats. Last night and before they were extra legroom.

With aircraft based at Alicaante does this mean extra flights or destinations for BFS, EDI, NCL etc

I have a feeling the next batch of ALC-originating routes released by Jet2 (filling the afternoon slot on this aircraft) could include some real surprises..

I share that feeling. Will more than likely be announced pretty soon. I thought the Jet2 fleet was rather stretched ?

Using a 733 ALC based for BFS schedule adds up as Jet2 will have Canary Island routes this summer together with the usual summer flying program...

EI-BUD

LBIA

You have shown the ALC - NCL - ALC flights as THURS & SUN...the timetable shows MON & THURS

Jet2 are to also aquire 4 more Boeing 737-800's prior to summer 2013 along with a leased A320 (not sure who from) based at East Midlands and a leased 737-800 from Travel Service based at Leeds. So maybe we could see a load new routes from Jet2's other bases too.

There have been strong rumours that NCL will get at least one more a/c for summer 13

Good that they're asking UK crews to be based there. When I first heard I thought the
 

Your having a laugh aren't you? even Norwegian contract crews are better paid than Jet2 at around €10000+ per month and no seasonal 70% bollocks based in Glasgow on a Zenon contract, no Summer holiday embargo and a proper ID 90 self administered staff & family travel system in addition to free commute for crew.

Norwegians ALC base opens 1st of April, with one or two further bases to be announced this year, i guess they need to find some were to put 14 brand new 737-800's due to be delivered in 2013 and that's in addition to the 3 Dreamliner's

The Finn-air contract is even better, sure its cheap labour compared with what they are paying in Finland but way above what Jet2 pay

Still its a good move for Jet2, will be very interesting to see how they crew it but its a mine field in respect of social & local taxes, my advice for people interested in a ALC is take a long hard look at the roster, you need a block of four days off to commute home and a 100% guarantee of firm tickets back to the UK.

Now that jet2 are getting all these 737-800's will they be retiring some of the 75's at the end of the year.

Apparently, Jet2 are booked for the Humberside Airport Travel Holiday Exhibition next week. Could there be an announcement regarding HUY flights maybe?

Kind regards

Mike

Don't get too carried away on a/c numbers, as l believe they are planning on having a fair number of standby aircraft.

Someone posted elsewhere that this is to be a single aircraft base, and the aircraft will be flying the morning rotations only. Reason suggested is strategic location for positioning if there is a tech problem.. Supposidly they will be using an older airframe so it wont cost them so much for it to be sitting around on standby at ALC..?

Sounds most plausible to me, what does everyone else think?

MKY661 New B737-800's
 

Re the B737-800's, are you saying all 4 x 800's to be at EMA? If not, how many do you think will be? Thanks.

I've heard the EMA base will be 1 757-200, 1 737-800, 1 737-300, and a leased A320 from somewhere

No Just the A320. I'm not sure where the 737-800's are being based but I have heard about another at Manchester and one at Leeds. Also ematom1 has just reported there is apprently one at East Midlands.

The reason that Jet2 are leasing an A320 and a 737 from Travel Service is because of a further two 737-800's being unavailiable for summer 2013.

Source: Jet2

A B738 to be based at BLK would be a real treat, but then again, we all know that won't happen! :{

was there any issues runway length wise with a fully laden 738 from BLK, they're not exactly known for their sprightly performance

The 800 has better take off performance than the 20k 300's, but is more limited for landing. I would have thought a 700 would be a better fit at Blackpool and Leeds - the take off performance of an 800 but the size and landing performance of a 300.

It is a plausible hypothesis, but personally I think it is more profitable to take advantage of evening slots available in high season.

This question and others like operative reinforcement / seasonal base or new routes will be solved soon...

In principle a Jet2 plane will be based at ALC from May 23 until October 5 with extra flights to BFS, BLK, EDI, GLA and NCL.

pd. W13 season from/to ALC is on sale. All routes will be operated (including BFS and GLA which are not operated during W12). MAN and NCL will be operational throughout the winter as LBA (no post-Christmas break).

"The 800 has better take off performance than the 20k 300's, but is more limited for landing. I would have thought a 700 would be a better fit at Blackpool and Leeds - the take off performance of an 800 but the size and landing performance of a 300. "

Must admit I'm surprised that having started to aquire -800s that they haven't looked at some -700s especially as they seem to be storing/scrapping 7-10 year old -700s at the moment. Guess they are worth more parted than sold to airlines like Jet2. Given how well the -300s last the 700s must have loads of decent life left in them. Sad really!

Hooded
The problem with bringing another variant on line is it is very restrictive for the flight schedulers, so if you have to switch aircraft you either have too many passengers or empty seats both are a cost. In an ideal word they would have a standard fleet of 800's the 757 fleet seems to be going in one direction and i'm not sure what they would replace it with? I'm sure someone will correct me but have Dart ever bought/leased a new aircraft ?

I guess the main advantage for Jet2 in ALC is it allows for lower frequency to smaller airports without empty positioning costs. Sounds like party time in ALC for Jet2 crews:ok::ok: