Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West and Shirley, and Saqib Bhatt, Member of Parliament for Meriden and Solihull East, have visited Jet2 and Birmingham Airport to hear first-hand about their growing investment in the West Midlands, their impressive contribution to the regional economy, and the priority they place on apprenticeships, training and staff development.
Jet2, now the UK’s third-largest airline and the country’s leading tour operator for Mediterranean and Canary Islands package holidays, has rapidly expanded since launching at Birmingham Airport in 2017. What began with 23 destinations and four based aircraft has grown to 71 destinations served from Birmingham, with 16 aircraft operating from BHX and over 15 million customers having travelled through the airport with Jet2 since 2017.
Dr Shastri-Hurst said:
“Jet2 is an extraordinary success story for our region. From creating hundreds of local jobs to offering first-class training, apprenticeships and career development, they are helping young people in Solihull take their first steps into aviation, engineering and customer service. I was particularly impressed by their commitment to staff development and the strong Midlands talent pipeline they are building.”
Jet2’s continued growth from Birmingham is supporting employment across cabin crew, pilots, engineering, ground operations, airport services and the wider visitor economy. Birmingham Airport itself supports around 30,900 jobs across the West Midlands and contributes an estimated £1.5 billion to the region’s economy, making it one of the most significant economic assets in Solihull and beyond.
Dr Shastri-Hurst added:
“Our regional airport is a gateway to opportunity. As we connect residents to over 70 destinations, we also bring investment, tourism and skills back into our communities. I look forward to continuing to work with Jet2 and Birmingham Airport to deliver even more opportunities for local people.”
