The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) welcomes the announcement by JetBlue to launch its first-ever nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Nassau.
The new service connecting the United States West Coast to the Islands of The Bahamas will debut on November 4, 2023, with a once- weekly Saturday flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Nassau’s Sir Lynden Pindling Airport (NAS).
JetBlue Airways has announced plans to continue expanding across the U.S. and the Caribbean, including the launch of two new destinations, bringing more low-fare, great service flights to customers in the airline’s New York, Boston Orlando, and Los Angeles focus cities.
Launching later this year, JetBlue will now offer nonstop flights to two new destinations from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) in St. Kitts and Nevis and Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City, Belize (a).
JetBlue is also set to launch service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau, Bahamas; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) in Grenada (a); and Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina.
Connecting New York to Popular Caribbean Destinations
JetBlue’s growth in the Caribbean is part of a broader reach into international markets. In recent years, the airline has built a robust network throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. With JetBlue’s entry into St. Kitts and Nevis and Belize, the airline will now operate in 27 countries within the region and introduce a new era of customer-focused, low-fare travel for leisure and visiting family and friends travelers. As a leader at JFK, JetBlue’s new routes to Belize and St. Kitts are part of JetBlue’s strategy to continue to grow in under-served geographies while bringing more choices and options for our customers. JetBlue will now serve 29 countries from JFK and will offer an average of up to 192 departures per day during peak periods.
Service from New York (JFK) to St. Kitts will begin November 2 bringing a new choice to a route with limited competition today. St. Kitts is the larger of two islands that make up the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts boasts a wealth of cultural attractions, lush greenery, pristine beaches, majestic volcanic peaks, and vibrant festivals that showcase the island’s unique heritage and traditions.
Schedule between New York (JFK) and St. Kitts (SKB)
Operating Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays beginning November 2, 2023
| JFK- SKB Flight #2967 | SKB-JFK Flight #2968 |
| 8:29 a.m. – 2:14 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
Belize City will build on JetBlue’s success in the broader region. Belize is one of Central America’s most biodiverse countries, touting tropical jungles, wildlife reserves, and cascading flora and fauna. Service from New York’s JFK to Belize City is set to launch on December 6. JetBlue will be the only airline to offer service from New York-JFK to Belize.
Schedule between New York (JFK) and Belize City (BZE)
Operating Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays beginning December 6, 2023
| JFK- BZE Flight #2781 | BZE-JFK Flight #2784 |
| 8:29 a.m. – 12:14 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
Connecting Orlando to Raleigh/Durham
JetBlue’s new flight connecting Orlando to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina will offer customers in Central Florida more choices for travel and furthers JetBlue’s mission to establish JetBlue as Orlando’s national low-fare carrier of choice. By the end of 2023, JetBlue will be serving 26 nonstop destinations and will offer an average of 57 departures per day from Orlando.
Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Raleigh (RDU)
Beginning November 2, 2023
| MCO- RDU Flight #1592 | RDU-MCO Flight #1591 |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:41 p.m. | 3:26 p.m. – 5:09 p.m. |
New Service to Grenada
Launching November 4, JetBlue will now offer the only service between Boston and the Caribbean island of Grenada, featuring the airline’s premium Mint® service. With JetBlue’s introduction into Grenada, the airline will be flying an average of 137 daily departures from this focus city in November.
Schedule between Boston (BOS) and Grenada (GND)
Operating Saturdays only beginning November 4, 2023
| BOS- GND Flight #2153 | GND-BOS Flight #2152 |
| 8:00 a.m. – 1:43 p.m. | 3:03 p.m. – 7:04 p.m. |
Bahamas Expansion
JetBlue is also advancing its focus city strategy at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with the introduction of an all-new international route. JetBlue will become the first airline to serve Nassau with nonstop service from Los Angeles, pioneering this unique service for an unserved market. The new route will offer customers JetBlue’s award-winning Mint® premium experience. Following the launch of Nassau, JetBlue will operate service between Los Angeles and 20 nonstop destinations and offer more than 40 peak daily departures.
Schedule between Los Angeles (LAX) and Nassau (NAS)
Operating Saturdays only beginning November 4, 2023
| LAX- NAS Flight #2710 | NAS-LAX Flight #2711 |
| 9:50 a.m. – 6:20 p.m. | 7:40 p.m. – 10:25 p.m. |
JetBlue Airways Corporation and Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. have announced that the airlines have entered into a definitive agreement under which JetBlue will divest all of the holdings of Spirit Airlines, Inc. at New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Frontier in connection with JetBlue’s planned merger with Spirit.
These divestitures are part of JetBlue’s upfront commitments included in the merger agreement with Spirit and are conditioned on the closing of the JetBlue-Spirit transaction.
Under the terms of the agreement, JetBlue has agreed to transfer to Frontier all of Spirit’s holdings at LaGuardia, principally consisting of six gates at the Marine Air Terminal and 22 takeoff and landing slots. The divestitures are conditioned upon, and will occur after the closing of, JetBlue’s planned combination with Spirit and are subject to additional closing conditions, including approval by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the FAA/DOT.
JetBlue expects to close the transaction with Spirit in the first half of 2024.
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways will now be forced to dismantle its Northeast Alliance trial following a final decision by a judge in favor of the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the alliance. The DOJ won their lawsuit to stop the Northeast Allaince.
The United States Department of Justice issued this statement:
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division issued the following statements today regarding the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’s ruling in favor of the Justice Department and the Attorneys General of six states and the District of Columbia in their civil antitrust lawsuit to stop the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue:
“Today’s decision is a win for Americans who rely on competition between airlines to travel affordably,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to protect competition and enforce our antitrust laws in the heavily consolidated airline industry and across every industry.”
“We are pleased with the court’s decision. The outcome of this litigation recognizes the value of competition in the airline industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are grateful to our state law enforcement partners and the dedicated and talented Antitrust Division staff that investigated and tried this important case.”
The court’s decision follows a multi-week trial that began in September 2022. The Justice Department sued to stop American Airlines and JetBlue from continuing the Northeast Alliance. The Northeast Alliance is a series of agreements between American Airlines and JetBlue through which the two airlines have consolidated their operations in Boston and New York City. The court ruled that JetBlue and American Airlines’ decision to stop competing in Boston and New York, where they are major players, violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act because it increased fares and reduced choice for American travelers in many domestic markets for scheduled air passenger service.
J.D. Power issued their latest survey on airline satisfaction:
A combination of soaring demand, limited supply and surging airfares have helped airlines book record revenues during the past two quarters, but this golden age of enhanced revenues is coming at the expense of customer satisfaction. According to the J.D. Power 2023 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today, customer satisfaction with major airlines is down significantly for a second consecutive year, introducing the risk of possible brand damage if the current pattern of price hikes, staffing shortages and reduced routes continues.
“If yield management were the only metric airlines needed to be successful in the long term, this would be a banner year for the industry because they are operating at peak economic efficiency,” said Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power. “From the customer perspective, however, that means planes are crowded, tickets are expensive and flight availability is constrained. While these drawbacks have not yet put a dent in leisure travel demand, if this trend continues, travelers will reach a breaking point and some airline brands may be damaged.”
Following are some of the key findings of the 2023 study:
Southwest Airlines ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the economy/basic economy segment for a second consecutive year, with a score of 827. Delta Air Lines (801) ranks second and JetBlue Airways (800) ranks third.
The North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures passenger satisfaction with airline carriers in North America based on performance in eight factors (in alphabetical order): aircraft; baggage; boarding; check- in; cost and fees; flight crew; in-flight services; and reservation. The study measures passenger satisfaction in three segments—first/business, premium economy and economy/basic economy—and is based on responses from 7,774 passengers. Passengers needed to have flown on a major North America airline within the past month of completing a survey. The study was fielded from March 2022 through March 2023.
JetBlue Airways today announced plans to continue expanding in Europe with nonstop service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) available for sale starting today.
Service from New York JFK will begin August 29 and from Boston on September 20.
This marks JetBlue’s third transatlantic market debut, following the airline’s successful launch of London service in August 2021 and its highly anticipated service to Paris coming this June.
Schedule between New York (JFK) and Amsterdam (AMS)
| Daily service starting August 29 (Eastbound) & August 30 (Westbound)*all times local | |
| JFK – AMS Flight #2288 | AMS – JFK Flight #2289 |
| 10:00 p.m. – 11:35 a.m. (+1) | 1:35 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Schedule between Boston (BOS) and Amsterdam (AMS)
| Daily service starting September 20 (Eastbound) & September 21 (Westbound)*all times local | |
| BOS- AMS Flight #31 | AMS – BOS Flight #32 |
| 8:00 p.m. – 9:35 a.m. (+1) | 11:35 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Flights will operate daily on JetBlue’s Airbus A321 Long Range (LR) aircraft with 24 redesigned Mint Suite® seats, 114 core seats and the sleek and spacious Airspace cabin interior. The A321 platform – offering the range of a wide-body but with the economics of a single-aisle aircraft — will allow JetBlue to effectively disrupt the market with the airline’s award-winning service and low fares on flights between the U.S. and Amsterdam.
JetBlue Airways Corporation today reported its results for the first quarter of 2023.
“Thanks to our team’s collective hard work, our first quarter financial results came in better than expectations, and we are forecasting strong sequential pre-tax margin improvement into the second quarter. We remain well on track in executing our comprehensive plan to enhance our long-term profitability and restore our historical earnings power,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s Chief Executive Officer.
“For the second quarter, we expect strong revenue growth to continue as demand remains robust and as we see continued momentum from our commercial initiatives. We are forecasting a solidly profitable quarter, and we remain confident in our full-year earnings outlook.”
First Quarter 2023 Financial Results
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
First Quarter 2023 Key Highlights
Outlook
“Demand trends remain robust into the second quarter, with strong demand for leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives (VFR) travel particularly during peak periods. We’re also pleased with the continued improvement in revenue and financial performance at our largest focus city, New York,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s President and Chief Operating Officer.
“Our TrueBlue Loyalty program continues to show encouraging trends with strong growth in co-brand card spend. In addition, the Northeast Alliance (NEA), which is already a significant revenue generator, is driving meaningful margin improvement as our service matures.”
| Second Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Outlook | Estimated 2Q 2023 | Estimated FY 2023 | |||
| Available Seat Miles (ASMs) Year-Over-Year | 4.5% – 7.5% | 5.5% – 8.5% | |||
| Revenue Year-Over-Year | 4.5% – 8.5% | High Single Digits to Low Double Digits | |||
| CASM Ex-Fuel(2) (Non-GAAP) Year-Over-Year | 1.5% – 3.5%(3) | 1.5% – 4.5%(3) | |||
| Estimated Fuel Price per Gallon(4) | $2.75– $2.90(5) | $2.95 – $3.15 | |||
| Interest Expense | $40 – $50 million | $200 – $210 million | |||
| Adjusted Earnings per Share | $0.35 – $0.45 | $0.70 – $1.00 |
| Notes | |
| (1) | Non-GAAP financial measure; Note A provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release and explains the reasons management believes that presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors regarding JetBlue’s financial condition and results of operations. |
| (2) | With respect to JetBlue’s CASM ex-fuel guidance, JetBlue is unable to provide a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to GAAP because the excluded items have not yet occurred and cannot be reasonably predicted. The reconciling information that is unavailable would include a forward-looking range of financial performance measures beyond our control, such as fuel costs, which are subject to many economic and political factors. Accordingly, a reconciliation to CASM is not available without unreasonable effort. |
| (3) | Includes the impact from the new Pilot Union agreement of approximately 3% points for the second quarter and full year 2023. |
| (4) | Includes fuel taxes and hedges. |
| (5) | JetBlue utilizes the forward Brent crude curve and the forward Brent crude to jet crack spread to calculate the unhedged portion of its prompt quarter. As of April 14, 2023, the forward Brent crude per barrel price was $86 and the crack spread averaged $16 per barrel for the second quarter of 2023. |
Top Copyright Photo Photo: JetBlue Airways Airbus A321-231 WL N905JB (msn 5854) (Prism) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 960435.
JetBlue aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways today announced two new routes from Puerto Rico, bringing more low-fare, high-quality flights to “La Isla del Encanto”. Launching this summer, and out for sale today, JetBlue will now offer year-round service from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina, and from Rafael Hernández International Airport (BQN) in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida.
This announcement coincides with JetBlue’s 21st anniversary of service in San Juan. In Puerto Rico, JetBlue currently offers service in its focus city of San Juan, as well as in Aguadilla and Ponce, operating an average of 35 departures from Puerto Rico per day. With the introduction of Raleigh, JetBlue will now offer service between Puerto Rico and 12 cities in the U.S. and the Caribbean.
The planned combination of JetBlue and Spirit will unlock long-term growth opportunities in Puerto Rico that would not be otherwise possible, offering more options for customers traveling to and from the island. Following the successful completion of the planned merger, JetBlue will be able to deliver its low-fare, award-winning service on more routes and to expand travel options in and out of Puerto Rico with new nonstop service to destinations that are not viable today.
San Juan Growth
JetBlue is advancing its focus city strategy in San Juan. New service between San Juan (SJU) and Raleigh, North Carolina (RDU) will take off on July 5, 2023. With this new route JetBlue will now operate service between San Juan and 12 nonstop destinations and will offer an average of 30 departures per day from San Juan.
| Schedule between Raleigh (RDU) and San Juan (SJU) | |
| Daily service starting July 5, 2023 | |
| RDU-SJU Flight #2929 | SJU-RDU Flight #2930 |
| 9:00 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. | 1:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
Launching New Service to Aguadilla
JetBlue’s new service in Aguadilla brings a new choice to a route with limited competition today. Service from Aguadilla to Tampa is set to launch on July 5, 2023. JetBlue will fly up to 5 daily departures from Aguadilla in 2023.
| Schedule between Tampa (TPA) and Aguadilla (BQN) | |
| Daily service starting July 5, 2023 | |
| TPA-BQN Flight #2768 | BQN-TPA Flight #2769 |
| 12:05 p.m. – 2:57 p.m. | 3:50 p.m. – 6:36 p.m. |
JetBlue will operate both new routes using its Airbus A320 aircraft.
JetBlue Airways and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) have announced new nonstop flights to two popular Florida destinations from Worcester Regional Airport (ORH): daily year-round service to Orlando International Airport (MCO) launching this summer and winter seasonal service to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers (RSW) launching next winter.
Bringing More Travel Opportunities to Central Massachusetts
With the addition of these routes, JetBlue will serve three Florida cities – Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Fort Myers – from Worcester.
Welcoming Back Service to Orlando
JetBlue will welcome back service between Worcester and Orlando beginning June 15, 2023 and will be the only airline to offer nonstop service between the two cities.
| Daily Schedule between Worcester (ORH) and Orlando (MCO)Beginning June 15, 2023 | |
| MCO – ORH Flight #488 | ORH – MCO Flight #987 |
| 11:05 a.m. – 1:54 p.m. | 2:40 p.m. – 5:41 p.m. |
Launching New Seasonal Service to Fort Myers
JetBlue is also launching winter seasonal service from Worcester to Fort Myers beginning on January 4, 2024. The route will initially launch with twice-weekly service, and will increase to daily service starting in mid-February through the end of the Red Sox Spring Training. As the official airline of the Red Sox, JetBlue is pleased to provide fans more convenient options to travel down to JetBlue Park, the Red Sox’s Spring Training ballpark and part of the Fenway South training and development facility.
| Schedule between Worcester (ORH) and Fort Myers (RSW) | |
| Winter Seasonal Beginning January 4, 2024 | |
| RSW – ORH Flight #2834 | ORH – RSW Flight #2833 |
| 12:21 p.m. – 3:21 p.m. | 4:06 p.m. – 7:06 p.m. |
JetBlue Airways has announced plans to launch new service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) starting late this summer and service between Boston and Amsterdam to follow.*
Amsterdam will be JetBlue’s third transatlantic city following the airline’s successful launch of service to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports in 2021 and its highly anticipated service to Paris coming this June.
Last week, a Dutch court ruled that the Dutch government failed to follow the law when it sought to reduce the cap on Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s annual air traffic movements, giving JetBlue confidence there is room for it to enter the market.
Flights will operate daily on JetBlue’s Airbus A321 Long Range (LR) aircraft with 24 redesigned Mint Suite® seats, 114 core seats and the sleek and spacious Airspace cabin interior. The A321 platform – offering the range of a wide-body but with the economics of a single-aisle aircraft — will allow JetBlue to effectively disrupt the market with the airline’s award-winning service and low fares on flights between the U.S. and Amsterdam.
*Subject to receipt of government operating authority.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have indicated they will cut the number of flights operating into and out of the New York City area this summer due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
JetBlue Airways also indicated it will also cut back at its New York City home.
Airlines will need to upgauge the type of aircraft flying into the region to minimize the shortage of seats.
The FAA estimates it only has around 55% of the air traffic controllers it needs for the area. Training takes time.
The FAA issued this report:
The FAA anticipates a busy summer air travel season to and from New York City, some of the country’s most complex and congested airspace. To ensure safe and smooth operations, the agency’s Air Traffic Organization held a productive meeting today with airlines, general aviation representatives and associations and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to discuss ways to minimize impacts to passengers.
Participants discussed traffic flow management strategies, system resiliency and facility staffing. Operators requested collaboration and communication with the FAA early and often to plan for circumstances that could result in delays, including weather events, space launches and military operations. They discussed how closer collaboration and frequent air traffic updates would help them more effectively schedule crews.
They also requested increased coordination between facilities to take advantage of alternate routes, such as deep water routes.
The FAA discussed efforts to reduce the air traffic controller training backlog at many FAA air traffic facilities, but pointed out that staffing levels at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (N90) continue to be below targets. The agency stressed that it will be more flexible to safely accommodate the projected increase in demand this summer. The agency will be more proactive regarding traffic management initiatives.
The agency is reviewing the feedback from participants and will identify actions to improve operations this summer in the New York area.
The summit was similar to the one hosted in Florida last year that resulted in measures to improve efficiency in another high-demand area.
Background
The agency has already taken several steps in anticipation of the increased demand. It recently announced that it will give airlines flexibility on slot usage requirements. In turn, the FAA expects airlines to take actions minimizing impacts on passengers, including operating larger aircraft to transport more passengers and making sure passengers are fully informed about any possible disruptions.
JetBlue Airways today announced new nonstop service between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and two top Caribbean destinations, as the airline unveils new plans to bring more low-fare, high-quality flights to Central Florida.
Launching in November 2023 and out for sale today, JetBlue will fly from Orlando to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Santiago, Dominican Republic (a). After its planned combination with Spirit, JetBlue expects to reach 200 flights a day in Orlando by 2027.
As a strong advocate for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s (GOAA) development of Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C, JetBlue became the terminal’s anchor tenant in October 2022. GOAA’s continued investment in the airport provides an elevated experience for JetBlue customers in Terminal C today and paves the way for continued growth in the region in the years to come.
More than 4,000 JetBlue crewmembers are based at the airport and at JetBlue’s Orlando Support Center (OSC), which includes a state-of-the-art training facility featuring classrooms, flight and cabin simulators, a ditch pool and other equipment used both for new crewmember training and for those requiring recurrent training. JetBlue’s Orlando training facility also includes The Lodge at OSC, the airline’s 24/7 dormitory facility dedicated to providing a focused training environment for crewmembers.
Connecting Orlando to Popular Caribbean Destinations
Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Punta Cana (PUJ)
Beginning November 4, 2023
| MCO – PUJ Flight #1077 | PUJ – MCO Flight #1078 |
| 8:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. | 1:10 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Santiago (STI)
Beginning November 4, 2023
| MCO – STI Flight #1265 | STI – MCO Flight #1266 |
| 1:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. – 7:10 p.m. |
Top Copyright Photo: A retired tail design: JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 N527JB (msn 1557) (Dots) MCO (Ton Jochems). Image: 960280.
JetBlue Airways aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways and Shell Aviation have announced a new collaboration bringing additional supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), targeting commencement of delivery in the first half of 2023.
Within the terms of the agreement, JetBlue is expected to take delivery of 10,000,000 gallons of blended SAF at LAX over the next two years and an option to purchase up to 5,000,000 gallons more in the third year, either at LAX or other airports in JetBlue’s network.
SAF is a type of renewable fuel that exists today that drops directly into existing aircraft and infrastructure with no impact to safety or performance. SAF can be produced from a wide array of renewable sources such as agricultural wastes and used cooking oils and can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 80% in its neat form when compared to traditional petroleum-based fuels.
Top Copyright Photo: JetBlue Airways Airbus A321-231 WL N929JB (msn 6031) (Ribbons) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 929267.
JetBlue aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways Corporation and Spirit Airlines responded to the filing by the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) seeking to block the companies’ merger:
JetBlue and Spirit will continue to advance our plan to create a compelling national challenger to the Big Four airlines, which control about 80% of the market after years of industry consolidation that the DOJ itself approved. By coming together, we will expand JetBlue’s unique offering – where customers do not have to choose between a low fare and a great experience – to boost competition nationally.
JetBlue has proven its ability to force the legacy carriers to react to JetBlue’s low fares and award-winning service. The DOJ itself said that “In the face of consolidation, JetBlue has provided an important and steadfast source of competition” and that “JetBlue’s reputation for lowering fares is so well known in the airline industry that it has earned a name: the ‘JetBlue Effect.’” (a).
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said: “Customers deserve a competitive airline marketplace and we will pursue this merger to ensure they get it, continuing to disrupt the legacy airlines with low fares and award-winning service that even the DOJ has applauded. We believe the DOJ has got it wrong on the law here and misses the point that this merger will create a national low-fare, high-quality competitor to the Big Four carriers which – thanks to their own DOJ-approved mergers – control about 80% of the U.S. market. There is too much at stake for the DOJ to prevent us from bringing the JetBlue difference to more customers in more markets.”
Spirit CEO Ted Christie said: “We disagree with the DOJ’s decision to seek to block the proposed merger, which will benefit consumers and employees. We will vigorously defend our position that a combined JetBlue and Spirit will be a game changer for customers nationwide, creating the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the dominant U.S. carriers. Together, we intend to democratize flying for travelers across the country – a goal we believe is worthy of the government’s support.”
ULCC Market Will Continue to Thrive as JetBlue Brings Much-Loved, Award-Winning Experience to Spirit Aircraft
Customers will win with both more JetBlue service and continued ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) expansion. JetBlue competes for all customers, and its Blue Basic fare offers customers a competitive, low-price option to save more money. In addition, because many Spirit aircraft will continue to fly in their current configuration during the retrofitting process after the transaction closes, there will be no short-term change in capacity.
As JetBlue retrofits Spirit’s aircraft with its leading customer-focused experience (e.g., adding more leg room and other onboard amenities), the combined airline will also be able to meaningfully increase aircraft utilization, offsetting seats removed in the retrofitting process by adding more flights. This will result in more seats with Blue Basic fares, and coupled with the rapid growth of the ULCCs, will create a more competitive environment and ongoing access for the most price-sensitive customers.
Hayes continued: “Putting the JetBlue’s increased legroom and free amenities on Spirit aircraft is a big win for consumers, and we can offset any loss of seats with increased flying and through ULCC growth. You shouldn’t have to choose between a low fare and a great experience, so the government should celebrate an expansion of JetBlue’s low fares and customer favorites like the most legroom in coach, free Wi-Fi, live seatback TV, and free snacks coming to Spirit’s fleet.”
Settlement Resolves Concerns About Florida; Ensures New Jobs and Additional Flights
We are extremely pleased to secure a settlement with the State of Florida supporting the merger between JetBlue and Spirit. The agreement ensures that the merger will deliver new jobs in Florida as JetBlue adds its low-fare flights in airports across the state.
Hayes said: “We’re appreciative of Florida State Attorney General Moody’s willingness to recognize the opportunity for consumers and negotiate a fair settlement. It’s unfortunate the federal government and other states want to block the benefits of this merger, including significant job growth and the increased number of affordable flights that this combination unlocks.”
In fact, all JetBlue crewmembers and Spirit Team Members will benefit from a larger, more competitive airline:
JetBlue-Spirit Merger Benefits Are Clear and Have Wide Support
The benefits of a JetBlue and Spirit combination have been widely recognized by consumer advocates, labor leaders, legislators, local government officials, industry experts, and academics. In addition, thousands of JetBlue crewmembers and Spirit Team Members have submitted letters of support to the DOJ and the U.S. Department of Transportation. We are confident a court, too, will recognize the merits of our case.
The rationale for a JetBlue-Spirit combination is clear:
The Justice Department, together with Attorneys General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New York, and the District of Columbia, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today to block JetBlue Airways Corporation’s (JetBlue) proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of its largest and fastest-growing ultra-low-cost rival, Spirit Airlines, Inc. (Spirit). JetBlue and Spirit compete fiercely today on hundreds of routes serving millions of travelers. By eliminating that competition and further consolidating the United States airlines industry, the proposed transaction will increase fares and reduce choice on routes across the country, raising costs for the flying public and harming cost-conscious fliers most acutely.
The complaint, filed in the District of Massachusetts, alleges that Spirit’s low-cost, no-frills flying option has brought lower fares and more options to routes across the country, making it possible for more Americans – particularly price sensitive consumers who pay their own fares – to travel. JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit would eliminate the “Spirit Effect,” where Spirit’s presence in a market forces other air carriers, including JetBlue, to lower their fares. The deal also would eliminate half of the ultra-low-cost capacity in the United States. This will lead to higher fares and fewer seats, harming millions of consumers on hundreds of routes.
“As our complaint alleges, the merger of JetBlue and Spirit would result in higher fares and fewer choices for tens of millions of travelers, with the greatest impact felt by those who rely on what are known as ultra-low-cost carriers in order to fly,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Companies in every industry should understand by now that this Justice Department will not hesitate to enforce our antitrust laws and protect American consumers.”
“Our complaint alleges that JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit would particularly hurt cost-conscious travelers,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Ultra-low-cost carriers make air travel possible so more Americans can take a much-needed family vacation or celebrate or mourn together with loved ones. We allege that the proposed merger would lead to fewer seats and higher prices for travelers.”
“JetBlue’s proposed acquisition of Spirit eliminates a disruptive, low-cost option for millions of Americans. Whether they fly Spirit or not, travelers throughout the United States benefit from an independent Spirit because where Spirit competes, other airlines – including JetBlue – are forced to compete more vigorously by lowering fares, offering greater innovations, and delivering more consumer choice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This transaction occurs against the backdrop of years of airline consolidation in the United States.”
The complaint, which seeks to block the acquisition under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, alleges Spirit has been a particularly disruptive force, growing rapidly, introducing innovative products, and allowing customers to choose which services to purchase, all while charging customers very low fares. Spirit has forced larger airlines, particularly the already-low-cost JetBlue, to compete for customers by introducing unbundled, customizable ticket options and lowering their own fares, allowing more Americans to travel. If the acquisition is allowed to proceed, prices would increase on routes where the two airlines currently compete. This is particularly the case on the over 40 direct routes where the two companies’ combined market shares are so high that the deal is presumptively anticompetitive.
As further alleged in the complaint, in the last 10 years, Spirit has doubled its network in size and, before this deal, expected to continue expanding at a quick pace. The acquisition stops this future competition before it starts.
The acquisition would also make it easier for the remaining airlines to coordinate to charge travelers higher fares or limit capacity. JetBlue has already partnered with American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, through the Northeast Alliance, which the Department sued to block. Now, JetBlue is doubling down on consolidation, seeking to acquire and eliminate its main ultra-low-cost competitor, depriving travelers of yet another choice.
If allowed to eliminate the Spirit option, JetBlue would likely increase prices on every route where Spirit flies today. As a result, travelers who previously preferred Spirit’s lower-price, no-frills service would either have to pay more for amenities they do not want, or may no longer be able to afford to travel at all.
JetBlue is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Long Island City, New York. In 2022, it flew over 39 million passengers to approximately 107 destinations around the world, earning about $9.1 billion in revenue.
Spirit is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Miramar, Florida. In 2022, it flew over 38 million passengers to approximately 92 destinations in the Americas, earning about $5 billion in revenue.
JetBlue Airways could be facing an uphill challenger to acquire governmental approvals for its proposed acquisition of Spirit Airlines.
JetBlue has made this case for the merger:
JetBlue has released updated data, which further supports the disruptive role of the airline on the dominant, higher-price legacy carriers, and the pro-competitive impact the merger with Spirit will have on the industry.
Analysis Adds to Compelling Rationale for JetBlue-Spirit Combination
JetBlue-Spirit Combination Is Solution to the Lack of Competition for the Big Four
The Big Four airlines have a lock on about 80% of the market. JetBlue’s combination with Spirit allows it to create a compelling national challenger to these dominant airlines, while also ensuring ULCC options remain available in overlap markets.
While JetBlue, with its highly unique combination of low fares and great service, will be able to expand with new national breadth as a result of the transaction, it will remain a significantly smaller player than each of the Big Four airlines. According to the data, a combined JetBlue and Spirit will have only about 9% market share, compared to about 16-24% for each of the four largest airlines, but the added scale and ability to further grow will result in meaningful competition on more routes to more destinations and greater opportunities for Crewmembers and Team Members of both airlines.
JetBlue Airways today announced three new routes launching this summer – enabled in part by its Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines – which will further increase competition and choice for travelers across the Northeast. Seats are out for sale starting today with fares as low as $59(a).
New York City
Enabled by the NEA, JetBlue’s new service between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) will deliver a customer-centric alternative for travelers across the busy Northeast Corridor that has historically been dominated by high-fare legacy carriers.
Daily Schedule between New York (JFK) and Washington DC (DCA)
Beginning June 15, 2023
| JFK – DCA Flight #1887 | DCA – JFK Flight #1888 | ||
| 7:00 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. | ||
| JFK – DCA Flight #2487 | DCA – JFK Flight #2488 | ||
| 1:15 p.m. – 3:01 p.m. | 2:10 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | ||
| JFK – DCA Flight #2587 | DCA – JFK Flight #2588 | ||
| 7:15 p.m. – 8:55 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. – 6:48 p.m. |
Westchester County
JetBlue is also launching new summer seasonal service from Westchester County Airport (HPN), further bolstering JetBlue’s leadership position in the Greater New York area and offering customers more choices to popular summer travel destinations.
Daily Schedule between Westchester (HPN) and Martha’s Vineyard (MVY)
Summer Seasonal Beginning May 25, 2023
| HPN – MVY Flight #2666 | MVY – HPN Flight #2665 | ||
| 3:45 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. | 1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
Daily Schedule between Westchester (HPN) and Charleston, S.C. (CHS)
Summer Seasonal Beginning May 25, 2023
| HPN – CHS Flight #2647 | CHS – HPN Flight #2648 | ||
| 11:59 a.m. – 2:14 p.m. | 3:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
Top Copyright Photo: JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 N806JB (msn 5302) (Barcode) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 960154.
JetBlue Airways aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways has announced a partnership with climate tech company CHOOOSE as part of its ongoing focus on sustainability and advancing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). By visiting https://jetblue.chooose.today, JetBlue customers will now be able to join JetBlue in championing SAF adoption through a dedicated climate platform powered by CHOOOSE. The platform enables customers to estimate the CO2emissions of their flights and then address these emissions by contributing to a fund dedicated to covering the cost premium of SAF as compared to conventional jet fuel.
JetBlue views SAF as the most promising avenue for addressing aviation emissions in a meaningful and rapid way – once cost-effective SAF is made available commercially at scale. Produced from a wide array of renewable sources such as agricultural wastes and used cooking oils—not fossil fuels— SAF is a type of renewable fuel that exists today and drops directly into existing aircraft and infrastructure with no impact to safety or performance. SAF can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 80% compared to traditional petroleum-based fuels while reducing particle and sulfur pollution.
In 2022, roughly 0.3% of JetBlue’s fuel consumed was SAF. Supporting and growing SAF availability is critical to increasing this volume and reaching the aviation industry’s emissions reduction goals. By contributing toward the purchase of additional SAF through CHOOOSE, JetBlue customers and can now send a critical signal of consumer demand for more sustainable air travel options and help grow the emerging SAF market.
While proven effective, additional support for SAF is still needed to grow the market and encourage the economies of scale necessary to make SAF more widely available and cost competitive with traditional fuel sources. JetBlue continues to do its part, securing immediate as well as future supplies of SAF on its path to convert 10% of the airline’s total fuel to be SAF by 2030. JetBlue has been flying regularly using SAF from its California airports in San Francisco and Los Angeles, partnering with both currently available SAF suppliers in the U.S., Neste and World Energy. To further encourage a vibrant and competitive market, in 2022 alone, JetBlue signed agreements with three additional SAF producers for future supply: Aemetis, AIR COMPANY, and Fidelis New Energy.
Today’s announced partnership with CHOOOSE builds upon the airline’s previously announced JetBlue Sustainable Travel Partners program for JetBlue Corporate Travel customers. JSTP enables organizations to directly and meaningfully reduce their reported carbon footprint through the purchase of JetBlue issued SAF certificates and address their “Scope 3” indirect emissions that exist within the value chain, such as those produced through corporate travel. Since launching the program in 2022, a growing list of sustainability-focused organizations have taken advantage of JetBlue issued SAF certificates to help source over 1.6 million gallons of SAF combined.
Together with CHOOOSE, individual customers will now be able to join JetBlue and these leading sustainability-minded organizations in their call for greater availability of lower carbon solutions within the aviation industry. All customer contributions through https://jetblue.chooose.today/ are used to help cover the difference in cost between SAF and conventional jet fuel — allowing the airline to ‘upgrade’ more conventional jet fuel to SAF and sending a powerful signal that demand for SAF exists.
JetBlue Airways has announced the start of its new service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) will begin on January 4, 2024.
Schedule between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Tallahassee (TLH)
Daily service starting January 4, 2024
| FLL-TLH Flight #2396 | TLH-FLL Flight #2397 | ||
| 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | 9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Top Copyright Photo: JetBlue Airways Airbus A220-300 (CS300 BD-500-1A11) N3077J (msn 55124) (Hops) BNA (Jay Selman). Image: 404261.
JetBlue Airways aircraft photo gallery: