UK’s Jet2 nearing Airbus deal

Jet2 (LS, Leeds/Bradford) is reportedly close to a deal for around 50 narrowbody Airbus aircraft to renew its near all-Boeing fleet, Reuters has reported citing unnamed sources.

The carrier refused to comment on the report, saying that it was “constantly in discussion with different aircraft manufacturers”.

While the report did not identify the types that Jet2 may order, the sources said negotiations were ongoing, and while Airbus was the front-runner, no final decisions have been taken as yet.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the British leisure specialist and low-cost carrier currently operates 91 aircraft, of which all but one are Boeings. That number includes seven inactive B737-300s, seventy-five B737-800s, and eight B757-200s. The carrier also operates a single A321-200, which it added in February 2020, without any further commitments for the type. It had earlier wet-leased other Airbus narrowbodies to supplement its in-house fleet during peak summer seasons.

Jet2 does not have any outstanding orders placed either with manufacturers themselves or lessors.

The carrier has had a rocky pandemic and was forced to suspend its flights multiple times due to the fluctuating level of restrictions in the United Kingdom and abroad. It restarted operations on July 1, 2021. To survive the crisis, the carrier raised GBP422 million pounds (USD584 million) via a new share issuance to existing shareholders and new investors in February 2021 and then a further GBP200 million (USD280 million) worth of commercial paper under the Bank of England’s COVID Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF).