Jet2 has scheduled the A330 to operate next summer, and flights by the widebody are bookable. While much may change between now and then, this means a return to twin-aisle service after almost an absence of three years due to the pandemic. Expected to be used between May and October, the A330 will again operate solely from Manchester.

Jet2's A330s

The A330-200 was first by Jet2 in summer 2017 (S17). The carrier wet-leased G-VYGL, a 327-seat aircraft, from AirTanker for the peak season. The primary role of AirTanker is operating Voyager aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

'Golf Lima was deployed from Manchester to Lanzarote, Palma, Rhodes, and Tenerife, OAG confirms. It also operated two round-trips to Newark for Christmas shopping, replacing the usual B757-200ER. The same four destinations returned in S18. However, Alicante, Antalya, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Larnaca, and Paphos all saw the A330 in S19, the last normal summer before the pandemic struck.

The extra use in S19 was from wet-leasing a second aircraft (G-YVGM) from the same source. The A330 played an important role to highly demanded summer destinations, supplementing narrowbodies. And while it absolutely may change for next summer, it is currently expected to perform the same function again.

Jet2 A330
The A330 will be stationed at Manchester Airport. Photo: Riik@mctr via Flickr.

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The A330 has 11% of Jet2's Manchester seats

When writing, Jet2 anticipates 3.4 million round-trip seats at Manchester next summer, OAG shows, making the Northwest England airport by far its most significant base. Manchester will have 70% more seats for sale than number-two, Birmingham, and 89% more than number-three, Stansted. Its largest base will also have a quarter more seats than it did in S19, assuming everything scheduled goes ahead.

Jet2 will use four aircraft types from Manchester. With over four in ten seats (43.75%), the B737-800 will naturally be very dominant, followed by the B757-200ER (30.46%), A321ceo (14.53%), and A330 (10.96%). The carrier's B737-300s will exclusively operate from Leeds Bradford.

Jet2 A330 flight
This is a random A330 example flight to Dalaman on August 22nd. Image: Jet2.com.

Where will they be used?

Many dummy bookings suggest that the A330-200 will be used towards the end of May, rather than May 1st as the carrier submitted. Of course, the type could be allocated to flights earlier in the month, although the start of May is quite early in the peak season. Two aircraft are due to be used, just like in S19.

Jet2's A330 routes summer 2022
These routes are all down to see the A330 next summer. Not surprisingly, they are within Jet2's top-five destinations from Manchester. They aren't the top-four as Antalya ranks fourth. Image: GCMap.

Only four routes

Dalaman (DLM), Faro (FAO), Palma (PMI), and Tenerife South (TFS) are down to see the type. Looking at a week in August, DLM, PMI, and TFS will see the type once-daily, while FAO will welcome it six-weekly. On August 18th:

  1. 06:30: LS831 to Palma, returning 13:25
  2. 06:45: LS875 to Faro, returning 14:15
  3. 14:55: LS917 to Tenerife, returning 01:30+1 the following day
  4. 15:45: LS921 to Dalaman, returning 02:15

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