Jet2 parent Dart Group warns of weakening demand owing to coronavirus

The downturn comes after a strong start to the year for the group’s airline and tour operator businesses.

Dart still expects group profit for its 2019/20 financial year (through to 31 March) to come in “significantly ahead of current market expectations”, but has warned the impact on its 2020/21 profits remained uncertain.

In a trading update, issued on Wednesday (11 March), the group hailed “consistently strong consumer demand” across both package and flight-only bookings during January and February, adding bookings for summer 2020 were tracking “well ahead” of its 16% capacity increase for summer 2020.

“Understandably, however, momentum has weakened over recent weeks with the increased reporting of Covid-19 cases in Europe,” said Dart. “Nevertheless, our current cumulative summer 2020 bookings remain above those at this time last year.”