FLYING HIGH

By Ryan Harrison THE LOW COST airline that brought cheap flights to the north of England has launched a new Palma route from Manchester Airport, after a surge in holiday bookings to Majorca. Jet2.com, whose Leeds-Bradford airport route started the north's low cost revolution, has announced that its 2006 summer flights from Manchester are on sale now, with fares starting at 29 euros, one way inclusive of taxes. Customers can start booking flights for as early as March 26, 2006. The company, owned by millionaire ex-RAF pilot Philip Meeson, has sent representatives to Majorca in a bid to promote the launch of the new route. British holiday makers will get the chance to win 50 free Jet2.com flights from Leeds and Manchester at special promotional events taking place in Magalluf, Alcudia and across the rest of the island. Jet2.com boss Philip Meeson, said the company has responded to a huge demand for Majorca flights. “Ever since we started operating from Manchester, people have been asking us for truly low cost services to Palma, in addition to our existing Spanish services to Alicante, Malaga, Murcia and Valencia. “Majorca is a hugely popular holiday destination and now we're offering the people of the North the opportunity to book their low cost Summer 2006 holiday today.” Jet2.com now flies from seven airports in the UK to 25 destinatons across Europe. Passengers from the north of England will be delighted by the extra features that Jet2.com's low cost Boeing 737s have developed for the new Palma flights, including full leather seating throughout and allocated seats before boarding. The low-cost airline boom has brought about a major change in the British travel industry. It has fuelled rapid growth in residential tourism, enabling holiday home owners to visit more often and making buying a home in the sun a more viable option. It is also boosting independent travel - especially to destinations like the Balearics and Spain where British visitors feel very comfortable and no longer need the services offered by package holidays and resort representatives.