Birmingham boost sees Jet2 owner Dart hike profit hopes
Encouraging performance from Jet2's new base at Birmingham Airport has seen parent company Dart Group hike its profit expectations for the year.
Continued success for its growing leisure travel business, recovering from last year's heavy discounting, has pushed Dart to predict underlying pre-tax profits will be "materially ahead of current market expectations". The figures will be revealed on July 12.
In the coming year the group is aiming to build further. Forward holiday bookings for this summer are 'presently satisfactory', although Dart remains cautious on pricing.
" We also remain encouraged by the performance of our two new operating bases at London Stansted and Birmingham airports." The first flights took off from Birmingham last April.
Since the launch of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays from Birmingham the airline has dramatically expanded its winter schedule from the West Midlands.
It has also benefited from the collapse of Monarch, which was a major operator from Birmingham Airport.
The airline has already announced plans to double its capacity from Birmingham this summer, and has taken on an additional 120 people to handle ramp handling, baggage loading and dispatching. That is on top of the 200 jobs created by its launch at Birmingham, where it operates four new Boeing 737-800 next generation passenger jets.
Meanwhile Dart's distribution & logistics business, Fowler Welch, was focused on growing its revenue pipeline.
