THE CEO of Yeadon-based Jet2 has reflected on an unprecedented year in the face of the pandemic.

Steve Heapy, who heads up Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said it has represented the “biggest crisis” the travel industry has ever faced, but highlighted the successes achieved despite the Covid-19 crisis.

He said he was “very proud” of the Jet2.com and Jet2holidays teams for their “industry-leading response”.

“After all the gloom of the past 12 months, there are sunnier skies ahead of us today. The UK is the most advanced country in Europe when it comes to successfully rolling out a vaccine, and our destinations are very keen to welcome British holidaymakers back this summer,” said Mr Heapy.

“Ministers in destinations such as Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal and Spain have shown how much they want to reopen to holidaymakers this summer, and this is great news for our customers. On top of that, the UK government has shown a clear ambition to reopen international travel in the coming months. We will assist the government in any way that we can to help achieve this, with safety as our number one priority..

He said customer confidence is returning and has risen across all age groups.

Mr Heapy added: “The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for everyone. We know that the feeling of being on holiday – whether that is snoozing in the luscious sunshine, reading a book by the pool, running headlong into an azure sea, or simply enjoying time away from it all with loved ones – is something that people are longing for more than ever.

"The time when we can take customers away to enjoy these experiences once again is getting closer and closer. Although it has been a year since the first restrictions on international travel were introduced, we know that this means those well-deserved holidays will feel even more special when they return."