Jet2 is cancelling flights and package holidays from Manchester Airport to La Palma in the Canary Islands, just six months after the route launched. The airline and tour operator is also withdrawing the route from London Stansted.
Services between Manchester Airport and the Spanish island will end on October 30, having first started on April 3 this year. The London Stansted route will be cancelled before it has even begun, according to Canarian Weekly.
Customer options and refunds
A spokesperson for the airline said affected customers would be contacted directly and offered the option to rebook or receive a full refund. The decision followed a review of their programme and a response to demand.
As the route ends on October 30, the majority of passengers with trips booked for October half term should not be impacted. The Manchester Airport route operated twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
Fifth Canary Islands route
The route was the fifth to be added to Jet2's Canary Islands portfolio, which included Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “As a customer-focused business, we continually review our programme in response to what our customers want, and we will make adjustments where required. This gives us the ability to add flights and holidays in response to demand, and very occasionally we may withdraw them too.
“Following this latest review, we have taken the difficult decision to withdraw flights and holidays to La Palma. Where customers are affected, we will contact them or their independent travel agent to let them know their options, which include rebooking another holiday or receiving a full refund.
“We would of course like to apologise to affected customers, however with a fantastic programme of services to a huge range of destinations, we are offering superb choice when it comes to rebooking their holidays with us.”
Impact on La Palma tourism
According to Canarian Weekly, the news will be a “significant setback” for La Palma's tourism industry. The island had welcomed the new route when it launched in the spring.
La Palma, which has a less established tourism market compared to hotspots Tenerife and Lanzarote, had “been working to strengthen its connections with the British market.”
