Review of Jet2.com flight from Jersey to Leeds in Economy

Flying a Classic Boeing in 2024!

The Boeing 737-300 is a development of the Boeing 737-Classic generation in production from 1981-2001. The "Classic" Boeing 737 family consisted of the Boeing 737-300, which was a direct modernisation of the original Boeing 737-100/-200 generation with a stretched model in the form of the Boeing 737-400 and shortened Boeing 737-500.

Various UK Airlines took up the Boeing 737-300 (and other models of the Boeing 737-Classic) in their masses to replace the likes of early generation Boeing 737-200, the aging British built BAC 1-11 & Hawker-Siddley Trident and in a small number of cases the Douglas DC-9!

1988 aircraft of the combined Boeing 737-Classic generation were built with the Boeing 737-300 being the main and popular variant with 1,113 aircraft built. As of late 2023 at least 297 Boeing 737-300 airframes are in commercial service, with more aircraft likely in long-term storage awaiting new owners and flying Military and VIP operations.

In the UK most major airlines operated the Boeing 737-Classic from the 1980s through to the mid-2010s including; British Airways, easyJet, Dan Air London, Britannia Airways (and later Thomsonfly), Titan Airways, GoFly!, GB Airways, BMI British Midland International, BMI Baby, AB Airlines, Caledonian Airways, Air UK, Astraeus Airlines, British World Airlines (formerly British Air Ferries), Debonair and the last pax operator of the Boeing 737-Classic in Europe- JET2!

Founded by the Dart Group as a Northern based budget airline in 2003 which eventually replaced its sister-airline "Channel Express", started out at Leeds/Bradford flying Boeing 737-300 across Europe before expanding across various Northern UK markets. The airline eventually added the Boeing 757-200 and Boeing 737-800 to its fleet as they began to make bases South in the Midlands, London Stansted, Northern Ireland and in the South-West.

The airline has operated 34 Boeing 737-300 in its 20+ Year existence and the fleet is in its twilight years at the airline with seven active Boeing 737-300 based solely out of Leeds/Bradford Airport.

The aircraft fly various routes across Spain, but they do operate to Paris CDG & Jersey in the summer from Leeds/Bradford and those two routes are currently your best bet to fly a classic Boeing 737-300 in Europe during 2024 before they retire, rumour currently standing for a 2026 exit.

I found a chance to fly from Jersey to Leeds/Bradford on the first flight of the 2024 Summer Season for only £62 one-way, which I thought was too good a chance to let slide- so after a quick flight from SOU to JER with Blue Island ATR-72, it was onto this iconic Boeing 737 for a final fling!

Jet2 LS212: Last of the European Boeing 737-300!

Having spent the morning in Jersey's capital city of St Hellier, I got back about 90 minutes before my flight was due to depart as Jersey Airport still has vast gaps between the regular flights to London with British Airways & easyJet as well as the blocks of Blue Island ATR flights across the Mainland. I used the main bus link back to the Airport and went right to the departures, it didn't take long to clear the ques but I noticed some of the new scanners had been installed at Jersey Airport, with one lane still using an older one for the time being- likely for a transition period.

Jersey Airport has this really nice Viewing Deck airside, its all internal, but that means you can come viewing aircraft here all year around. I love this area of the Airport and I would happily come here for an entire day for plane spotting. The airport was deserted when my Jet2 Boeing 737 arrived in from Leeds/Bradford!

Jersey is a bit of an "odd ball" destination for Jet2 which mainly focuses on package holidays and holiday destinations, however Jet2 only flies to Jersey Airport from its long-time Northern Hubs East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford and Newcastle Airport during the summer season. Its likely a means of offering City Break "stay-cations", I don't see Jet2 offering Jersey from other big bases like London STN, Manchester or Birmingham.

This flight would be operated by a Red-Silver clad Boeing 737-300 built in 1997 (same year as me!) registered <i style="font-weight: bold;">G-GDFG, named as "Jet2Budapest". This plane was delivered in April 1997 to Air Europa as EC-GMY which it flew from 1997-2004. From 2004-2012 it flew as LN-KKQ for Norwegian Air Shuttle before ending up in its current affair with Jet2 since March 2012. Its one of the newest & last Boeing 737-Classic built given production ceased in 1999 with the last plane being delivered in 2000. At 27 Years old its now one of the oldest short-haul planes flying passenger service in the UK. 

The pandemic saw this Boeing 737-300 stored for a while as Jet2 focused on flying their brand new (and second hand) Boeing 737-800, this Boeing 737-300 was parked at Belfast International Airport from March 2020 to June 2020, it was then stored at Murcia from June 2020 to February 2021, from February 2021 to September 2021 it was stored at the home of Jet2 at Leeds/Bradford Airport (where this flight was taking me) and then finally at Almeria from September 2021 to February 17th 2022 when it returned to service… ironically doing such on my 25th birthday!

We began boarding nearly an hour later. The flight was on time, but a passenger on the inbound Leeds-Jersey service required assistance and that resulted in the flight being nearly an hour late. But in that time the weather in Jersey cleared up quite a bit and it allowed for a beautiful open board onto the flight allowing for some amazing footage and views!!!

The Jet2 Boeing 737-300 didn't look like it was a nearly 30 year old aircraft. As with Delta in the US, Jet2 certainly make their vintage and second hand aircraft look as brand new as the Boeing 737-800 they took straight from Boeing during the mid-2010s and the Airbus A321neo they're receiving from Toulouse in the mid-2020s. As an AvGeek and frequent flyer, Jet2 wasn't going to fool me with the sight of that overhead panel with the vintage light, air vents and buttons, they look direct from the late 1990s!

Despite being late departing, there was no other arrival or departure at the time we finally pushed back to leave Jersey for the 1 hour flight up to Yorkshire. We had a rather short and scenic taxi around Jersey Airport over to Runway 26 for a Westerly departure.

We took off from Runway 26 and headed out towards Le Braye beach before making a sweeping left-hand turn taking us around the South-West of Jersey before heading North-East across the Island toward the mainland UK. The views were absolutely stunning and beautiful, as for the Boeing 737-300, it darted out like a little silver/red rocket!

As we turned around on our climb out, we had a very clear view of Jersey Airport where we'd just taken off from!

Our route from Jersey after we levelled out our turn en-route to the mainland would see us fly diagonally across Jersey passing West of St Hellier, we'd then cross the English Channel before flying partly over Northern France entering the English Channel again as we flew directly over Cherbourg, then taking a direct air corridor towards the Isle of Wight.

Once passing the Isle of Wight, we'd fly over the South of England, flying above the cites/towns of Portsmouth, Reading, Milton Keynes Northampton, Leicester and Derby where our descent into Leeds/Bradford would begin.

Jet2 is known for pre-paid inflight meals for its flights, but the short hop to Jersey from Leeds is an exception where they obviously don't serve it. However I opted to pre-order a lunch item in the form of a Pizza Twist, and given the delay and the uncertainty of what time I'd have in Leeds, I'm glad I did so. It came to me quite promptly after take off. As I enjoyed it, I opted to get a drink and sweet to aid washing it down and opted for an IRN-BRU, a Scottish soft drink that Jet2 is currently the only UK Airline offering it, as I was flying to Yorkshire, it was only fitting to get a tube of Fruit Pastels which is made by Rowntree- a Yorkshire confectionary company now owned by Swiss corporation Nestle!

I also want to praise Jet2 here for the use of this little cup holder, why can't more airlines in Europe have these on their seats! Its such a basic but useful feature, I love it!

A sign of the weather in England was creeping up bellow us as the lovely views we had over the Channel Islands dispersed in favour of scattered and heavy cloud cover as we neared the Northern areas of England… What a charming welcome!

During our descent into Leeds/Bradford Airport, we flew into the thick "soup" of clouds. Our arrival brought us through a patch of countryside between the cities of Manchester and Sheffield, both Southerly of both Leeds & Bradford.

We flew in towards the Southerly Runway of Leeds/Bradford Airport which saw our arrival fly us over the city centre of Leeds itself before coming in for landing on Runway 32. By the time we passed through the heavy clouds, we'd passed the main city centre of Leeds and were flying over the cities outer suburbs.

After landing onto Runway 32, we made a swift exit onto the taxiway, passing the bright red offices that are the head-quarters of Jet2, its almost like passing the bright orange easyJet HQ at Luton! Our taxi took us past the main Terminal at LBA before taking us to a remote stand for our arrival, which would result in a bus gate to the Terminal!

However me and a small handful of like minded passengers were not done yet!

After grabbing a final look around the cabin of this plane, I was gratefully granted a quick visit to the Flight Deck which was amazing to see in 2024! I grabbed a few quick pictures, thanked the flight crew & cabin crew for a short and sweet flight on this amazing "retro" airliner, before exiting the plane for the bus that was patiently awaiting us at the bottom of the plane (hence why I didn't fancy hanging around).

As I got on the bus, taking a final look & photo of our Boeing 737-300, I also noticed the Jet2Holidays livery (White & Blue) Boeing 737-300 that was parked next to us. I didn't get a photo of it, but I also noticed a Jet2 Boeing 757-200 at LBA which is an unusual sight these days as they mainly reside at Manchester Airport.

After clearing arrivals into Leeds/Bradford, Channel Island flights to the UK don't require passport control- but do require going through customs, I was through into a new Airport for me to have a quick look around. I will be flying from LBA in late 2024, so I will hopefully be able to give a proper report on this place, something I can't give proper opinions on by arriving alone.

I swung by the main Jet2 check in area which was a must given I was at the home of Jet2, and I also took a few pictures of some quirky "Yorkshire Advertisements". 

And that concludes my flight hunting down one of the last chances to fly the Boeing 737-Classic within Europe! Jet2 was cool and quirky as always and I look forward to seeing them at Bournemouth Airport in 2025, which was their original home under Channel Express back in the 1980s/1990s. The Boeing 737-300 was a pleasure to fly on and tick off a "new" Boeing 737 variant for me to have flown on as this will likely be my only flight on the type now… or will it?