Jet2 Three orders 3 Boeing 737s

Dart Group - owner and operator of large leisure airline Jet2 - announced the order of three new jets from Boeing on Thursday.

The AIM-listed airline operator added them to its previously-announced order of 27 new 737-800NG aircraft, which was revealed in September.

Dart said the total value of the new transaction was USD$288m (£192.5m) at list prices, although they managed to secure a significant discount from the rack rate. The exact size of the discount was not made clear.

It was being funded through a combination of internal resources and debt, it said. All 30 aircraft were to be delivered between September 2016 and April 2018.

Dart said the new Boeings will help the company meet anticipated growth in the leisure travel market, as well as planned fleet replacement.

It already operates 17 of the type, which seat 189 passengers. In addition, Dart operates 22 older generation 737-300s, 11 larger 757-200s, 1 737-300 freighter and seven 737-300 'quick change' aircraft which feature a removable cabin, allowing the carriage of passengers or freight.

Jet2 - based at Leeds Bradford International Airport - is the UK's third largest low-cost airline after easyJet and flybe.