Poulter Partners wins launch work for low-cost airline Jet 2

New low-cost airline Jet 2, which is set to take on easyJet and bmibaby, has appointed Poulter Partners to handle all marketing aspects of its launch.

Jet 2, a subsidiary of charter airline Dart Group, will begin flights out of Leeds Bradford International Airport in February next year with four aircraft.

Full service agency Poulter Partners, based in Leeds, will handle brand development, advertising, direct marketing, design and website development for the airline. Jet 2 commercial director Steve Lee will oversee marketing strategy.

Poulter Partners managing director Mark Buckle says: “Helping to realise a business idea is a rare opportunity and to do so in a sector as dynamic as low-cost airlines is a particular challenge.”

Destinations will be announced later this month and are expected to include Spain and France. Leeds Bradford airport serves a catchment area of 9.5 million people and has no low-cost service to Europe at present.

Dart Group operates 18 aircraft and provides passenger charters from Edinburgh and Stansted to European destinations.

The low-cost airline sector continues to grow, with European budget pioneer Ryanair this week posting a 71 per cent rise in half-year net profits to ââ¬150.9m (£95m) on revenues, up 35 per cent to ââ¬465m (£298.1m).

Beleaguered travel group, MyTravel, launched its no frills airline MyTravelLite last month. Former Ryanair marketing director Tim Jeans heads the operation.

EasyJet has just announced it is to fly from Newcastle Airport to Europe from next April, and Buzz, the low-cost division of KLM, will start flying from Bournemouth in March.