JetBlue to expand routes
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
As bigger airlines pull back on domestic flying, 5-year-old JetBlue (JBLU) today will announce a major service expansion.
Between Nov. 8 and April 6, the New York-based carrier will add 52 weekday departures, including high-frequency service between its base at New York John F. Kennedy and Boston Logan. JetBlue also is adding service to Richmond, Va., and Austin.
The planned expansion coincides with delivery of the first of 101 Embraer 190 jets ordered by the carrier, which has been profitable for most of its existence. JetBlue until now has relied exclusively on larger Airbus A-320s but will fly the Embraer on its new routes. (Related story: JetBlue looks for space with Embraer 190)
Fast-growing JetBlue's plans typify the accelerating trend of discounters adding domestic service as the big hub-and-spoke carriers ? United, US Airways, Northwest and Delta, for example ? seek to shift flying capacity to more profitable international routes.
"As the legacy carriers are shrinking their domestic service, it creates opportunities for low-cost carriers," says Michael Allen of Back Aviation Solutions.
JetBlue is in high-growth mode. Its April schedule reflects a nearly one-quarter annual increase in flying capacity.
JetBlue is the first customer for the 100-seat Embraer 190, a Brazilian-made jet that fills the gap between smaller 50-seat jets and larger narrow-body jets. Highlights of JetBlue's expansion:
?Shuttle service. On Nov. 8, JetBlue will begin shuttle service between JFK and Boston, where it has been expanding.
By Dec. 20, it will offer 10 flights on weekdays, nine daily on weekends. Fares range from $40 to $120 one way. Currently, US Airways and Delta offer New York-Boston shuttle service from LaGuardia, and American from JFK and Newark, N.J., and Continental from Newark. The average fare on the route is $135 one way, according to Back.
?Smaller cities. Between Jan. 19 and April 6, JetBlue will launch service to Richmond, Va., and Austin. Each will have non-stop connections with JFK and Logan.
?Warm-weather options. On Nov. 8, JetBlue will begin flying twice a day from Boston to West Palm Beach, Fla. It will add a third daily flight on Dec. 20. On Feb. 2, it will begin a daily flight from Boston to Nassau, Bahamas. Fares for both routes range from $99 to $299 one way.
?Greater frequency. To improve service for business travelers, JetBlue is adding a fourth flight from JFK to Burlington, Vt., starting Dec. 4, and an eighth flight from JFK to Buffalo starting Dec. 20.
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
As bigger airlines pull back on domestic flying, 5-year-old JetBlue (JBLU) today will announce a major service expansion.
Between Nov. 8 and April 6, the New York-based carrier will add 52 weekday departures, including high-frequency service between its base at New York John F. Kennedy and Boston Logan. JetBlue also is adding service to Richmond, Va., and Austin.
The planned expansion coincides with delivery of the first of 101 Embraer 190 jets ordered by the carrier, which has been profitable for most of its existence. JetBlue until now has relied exclusively on larger Airbus A-320s but will fly the Embraer on its new routes. (Related story: JetBlue looks for space with Embraer 190)
Fast-growing JetBlue's plans typify the accelerating trend of discounters adding domestic service as the big hub-and-spoke carriers ? United, US Airways, Northwest and Delta, for example ? seek to shift flying capacity to more profitable international routes.
"As the legacy carriers are shrinking their domestic service, it creates opportunities for low-cost carriers," says Michael Allen of Back Aviation Solutions.
JetBlue is in high-growth mode. Its April schedule reflects a nearly one-quarter annual increase in flying capacity.
JetBlue is the first customer for the 100-seat Embraer 190, a Brazilian-made jet that fills the gap between smaller 50-seat jets and larger narrow-body jets. Highlights of JetBlue's expansion:
?Shuttle service. On Nov. 8, JetBlue will begin shuttle service between JFK and Boston, where it has been expanding.
By Dec. 20, it will offer 10 flights on weekdays, nine daily on weekends. Fares range from $40 to $120 one way. Currently, US Airways and Delta offer New York-Boston shuttle service from LaGuardia, and American from JFK and Newark, N.J., and Continental from Newark. The average fare on the route is $135 one way, according to Back.
?Smaller cities. Between Jan. 19 and April 6, JetBlue will launch service to Richmond, Va., and Austin. Each will have non-stop connections with JFK and Logan.
?Warm-weather options. On Nov. 8, JetBlue will begin flying twice a day from Boston to West Palm Beach, Fla. It will add a third daily flight on Dec. 20. On Feb. 2, it will begin a daily flight from Boston to Nassau, Bahamas. Fares for both routes range from $99 to $299 one way.
?Greater frequency. To improve service for business travelers, JetBlue is adding a fourth flight from JFK to Burlington, Vt., starting Dec. 4, and an eighth flight from JFK to Buffalo starting Dec. 20.
