Jet2 announces 10 special flights offering stunning solar eclipse views you can still book seats for
Looking out the plane window mid-flight is an enchanting experience enough as it is, but imagine doing so during a solar eclipse.
That's the priceless experience Jet2 is offering as they have identified 10 of their flights which could offer stunning views from the best seat on - or rather above - planet Earth for Europe's upcoming eclipse.
A total solar eclipse will cast large sections of Europe into darkness on Wednesday, August 12, and you could get up close and personal with the astronomical phenomenon.
The moon is expected to completely cover the sun, making it a total eclipse in northern Spain, meaning flights travelling in that area should be able to witness it as it happens in the sky.
The Jet2 flights with the best view of the total eclipse
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The 10 flights, ordered in order from the best chance of seeing the eclipse to the worst, are:
- Ibiza to Bristol - LS1836 - 20:15 local time departure
- Ibiza to London Stansted - LS1516 - 21:00 local time departure
- Faro to Manchester - LS874 19:05 local time departure
- Tenerife South to Bristol - LS1892 - 18:00 local time departure
- Agadir Al Massira to Birmingham International - LS1130 - 20:00 local time departure
- Alicante to Leeds Bradford - LA274 - 20:25 local time departure
- Malaga to Leeds Bradford - LS266 - 20:35 local time departure
- Palma de Mallorca to Leeds Bradford - LS266 - 20:40 local time departure
- Palma de Mallorca to Leeds Bradford - LS258 - 21:00 local time departure
- Zante (Zakynthos) to Liverpool - LS3286 - 21:00 local time departure
There are still seats available on nine of the 10 journeys, with only the Tenerife to Bristol flight being sold out.
However, it's stressed that weather, flight schedules, seat positions and final routing could all impact a passenger's view.
David Hills, Chief Customer Officer at Jet2 said: "The solar eclipse is already creating real excitement, and some of our customers could be in a very special position to see it from the skies or on their holidays.
"It could be a brilliant once-in-a-lifetime moment for those on board our flights or in some of our destinations, and we cannot wait to see the photos that our customers and colleagues capture.”
When is the eclipse in the United Kingdom?
Unlike parts of Spain, as well as Greenland and Iceland, the United Kingdom is not in a total eclipse zone, but astronomers still expect between 90 per cent to 96 per cent of the sun to be covered by the moon, fresh from a Space X rocket crashing into it.
That's the largest eclipse in the country since August 11, 1999, and it won't be as big again until 2080. So it really is a rarefied moment that you may not get the chance to witness ever again.
Though the UK will not be cast into total darkness, there will still be a discernible difference in light and temperature across the nation, though times will vary across the country.
Scotland will see the eclipse begin first at around 6:06pm on Wednesday, according to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
The rest of the UK will then follow, with the moon first beginning to cover the sun in Manchester at approximately 6:13pm, and so on.
The 'eclipse maximum', when most of the sun is covered, is expected to be around 7:10pm. The eclipse will be over by around 8:04pm.
If you're planning on witnessing the eclipse, ensure you don't look at the sun with the naked eye as it can cause serious and permanent damage to your sight. Even when wearing normal sunglasses.
Instead, certified solar eclipse glasses should be worn.
Daniel Murphy