Jet2 has reported a strong recovery in summer holiday bookings following a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East, with destinations including Turkey, Cyprus, the eastern Greek islands, Bulgaria and parts of north Africa rebounding most in percentage terms. The package holiday operator, which flies about 20 million passengers annually, said summer bookings are up 7.1% compared with the same time last year, while the average load factor—measuring the proportion of available seating capacity filled with paying passengers—rose by 1.2 percentage points.
CEO attributes rebound to delayed bookings
Chief executive Steve Heapy said: “There is still a massive amount of people who want to go away. But they have delayed their purchase because they wanted to see what happened with the conflict.” He noted that the market is in good shape, with many customers seeking trips abroad as a heatwave across Europe drives demand for air-conditioned accommodation.
Industry concerns and recovery
The travel industry had previously warned that many holidaymakers were postponing bookings due to fears over higher jet fuel costs and disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. However, Jet2 confirmed a strong recovery across all its destinations in recent weeks. Heapy added: “Turkey, Cyprus, eastern Greek islands, Bulgaria and parts of north Africa have rebounded the most in percentage terms, but all destinations have increased.”
Market reaction and geopolitical tensions
Shares in London-listed Jet2 jumped about 10% in early trading on Wednesday following the announcement, despite renewed tensions in the region. Heapy spoke before Donald Trump declared that the ceasefire with Iran was over, causing oil prices to surge more than 6% on concerns about supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
EU border checks cause delays
A new EU border check system has led to hours-long queues at major airports in continental Europe, with some airlines reporting flights departing only half full. Heapy advised passengers to “turn up a little earlier than normal,” noting that some Jet2 customers faced longer queues at immigration and passport control, although no Jet2 flights left without passengers. The EU has rejected calls to suspend the fingerprinting and facial recognition controls, admitting “20 difficult spots” but stating a full suspension is “not needed” and “not possible.”
Staycations and short-haul trends
UK holiday parks and hotels have also seen a jump in summer bookings as many opt to stay closer to home. Research from travel industry body Abta found that 84% of those planning a foreign holiday are choosing short-haul trips, and 30% said they would book just two to four weeks before departure.
