A Shropshire ambulance controller has permanently inked Jet2’s famous holiday slogan on his arm in hopes of winning free flights, joining millions who have made the airline’s catchphrase a viral sensation on social media this summer.
Craig Hicks, 37, from Telford, paid £300 to have “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” tattooed on his right arm on August 6, complete with the Leeds-based carrier’s distinctive logo. The bold move comes as the airline’s marketing phrase has exploded across TikTok, featuring in over two million videos and becoming what many are calling the “sound of summer 2025”.
The aviation enthusiast, who works as an ambulance controller, told reporters his friends believe the permanent tribute could earn him complimentary travel. “All my friends keep saying I could get a free holiday out of this! A freebie would be nice,” Mr Hicks said, adding that he plans to proudly display the tattoo to airline staff during his next flight to Tenerife in December.
Aviation Sleeve Complete with Viral Slogan
The new tattoo completes what Mr Hicks calls his “aviation sleeve” – a collection of aircraft-themed body art that already featured images of Concorde and a jet engine. His passion for aviation drove the decision to add the airline’s slogan to his arm following a recent flight to Madeira.
“I just love anything to do with planes. To finish my sleeve, I had a load of gaps and wasn’t sure what to put there,” he explained. The self-described “big fan” of the carrier, which he considers his preferred British airline, has travelled with Jet2 numerous times over the years.
Mr Hicks cited both his appreciation for singer Jess Glynne, whose 2015 hit “Hold My Hand” features prominently in Jet2’s advertising, and the current popularity of the airline’s slogan as key influences in his decision. “I love Jess Glynne and love that song. I recently flew with Jet2 to Madeira. I just thought it would be ace to get ‘nothing beats a Jet2 holiday’,” he said.
TikTok Phenomenon Takes Flight
The tattoo comes at the height of an unexpected viral phenomenon that has seen Jet2’s advertising slogan become one of TikTok’s most popular audio clips. The original TV advert was uploaded on TikTok, becoming one of the main viral soundbites on the platform, which accumulated more than 124,000 videos in almost a year.
The sound of the summer is actually not a song — it’s an ad. “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday,” a catchphrase from the British airline’s 2024 ad, mixed with English singer Jess Glynne’s 2015 hit “Hold My Hand,” has been used by more than 1.2 million users on TikTok, where it’s become a viral hit in recent months.
The trend has taken an ironic turn, with holidaymakers using the upbeat slogan to soundtrack their travel disasters and vacation mishaps, regardless of which airline they’re actually flying with. A quick scroll through the sound page on TikTok, which has 210,000 posts, will show that users are not using it to boast about their ‘unbeatable,’ perfect trips, but to highlight the moments that went terribly wrong.
Voice actress Zoë Lister, who narrated the original advertisement, expressed surprise at the global reach of the British campaign. “They don’t even know what Jet2 holiday is,” she joked. “They don’t have holidays, they have vacations. Holidays are like Christmas, right? But they have got so on board with the joyful silliness of it.”
Celebrity Endorsements Fuel Viral Success
The meme’s popularity has attracted celebrity participation, with figures including Mariah Carey, Bethenny Frankel, and Jeff Goldblum creating their own versions. This week, Jet2 Holidays even landed in Hollywood, as Jeff Goldblum contributed his own video on TikTok, narrating the same script but branding it “Jeff2 Holidays.”
Jess Glynne even chimed in on the fun. Fans have started singing the jingle at her concerts while she performs “Hold My Hand,” and the star posted a tribute to the 10-year anniversary of the song. The singer has begun closing her sets with the track as audiences wave “Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday” signs, according to music publication NME.
Google search data reveals the phenomenon’s impact, with searches for “Jet2 holiday” spiking dramatically in recent months. And last month, according to Google Trends data, Jet2 holidays reached an all-time high interest with “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” and “Jet2 holiday song” becoming top breakout searches in the lifestyle category for July 2025.
Britain’s Third-Largest Airline
Jet2, which began as Channel Express cargo airline in 1983 before transitioning to passenger services in 2003, has grown to become the UK’s third-largest airline. Jet2 is also officially the largest tour operator in the UK after overtaking TUI in 2023.
The Leeds-based carrier operates from 13 UK airports including Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London Stansted, flying to over 70 destinations across Europe and beyond. Since our first flight in 2003, we’ve grown our fleet with the delivery of 34 brand-new Boeing 737-800NG planes and order of 60 new Airbus A321neo planes. We’ve also sold more than 99 million seats!
The airline’s marketing campaign featuring Jess Glynne’s “Hold My Hand” has been running since 2015, serving as both the soundtrack to television commercials and the boarding music on all Jet2 flights. According to Jet2’s official press release, the official “nothing beats a Jet2holiday” campaign was released on December 23rd, 2022.
Family Reactions and Future Plans
Mr Hicks revealed mixed reactions from his family about the permanent tribute to the budget airline. “All my friends and family absolutely love it. My mum said I was mad,” he admitted with a laugh.
Despite his mother’s scepticism, the Telford resident remains enthusiastic about his decision and has already booked his next journey with the carrier – a December trip to Tenerife where he plans to showcase his new ink to Jet2 staff.
“I’m definitely going to show it to Jet2 staff when I next fly with them to Tenerife in December,” he confirmed, hopeful that his dedication might be rewarded with complimentary travel.
The timing of Mr Hicks’ tattoo couldn’t be better, with Jet2’s brand awareness at an all-time high thanks to the TikTok phenomenon. Whether his permanent dedication will result in the free flights he hopes for remains to be seen, but he has certainly secured his place in the annals of viral marketing history.
As millions continue to use the Jet2 slogan to soundtrack their holiday mishaps online, one Shropshire man will carry the phrase with him wherever he goes – a £300 investment in what he hopes will be a lifetime of free flights.
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