Low-cost airline JetBlue is reducing its routes: which cities will lose flights and when?
JetBlue, in an effort to cut costs, has announced that it will pull out of five cities, two in the US and three overseas, and eliminate 20 routes.
JetBlue, one of the best-known airlines in the United States, has announced that it will be cutting 20 routes, including some leaving from Los Angeles, California, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as abandoning five cities in the United States and overseas.
The company announced these measures in an internal memo, obtained by Business Insider. JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, Dave Jehn, reported that the airline will abandon the five cities effective June 13.
JetBlue abandons these 5 cities and cancels 20 routes
According to information shared by Business Insider, the five market outlets are in Bogotá, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; Lima, Peru; Kansas City, Missouri and Newburgh, New York. The low-cost airline had stopped flying out of Stewart International Airport outside Newburgh during the pandemic and never resumed.
“These markets are unprofitable, and our aircraft time can be better utilized elsewhere,” Jehn said in the memo. On the other hand, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale will be the most affected by the 16 additional routes cut. Here is the list of route cuts customers can expect this summer:
- Between Fort Lauderdale and Bogotá, Colombia; Lima, Peru Quito, Ecuador; Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, New Orleans and Salt Lake City
- Between Los Angeles and Cancún and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Las Vegas; Miami; Reindeer; San Francisco; Seattle; and Liberia, Costa Rica
- Between JFK in New York and Detroit
- Between Orlando and Salt Lake City
- Between Tampa, Florida and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
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More routes from Fort Lauderdale
Despite the cuts, losses in Fort Lauderdale will be offset by additional routes to destinations such as Buffalo, New York; San Juan Puerto Rico; Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Jet Blue the worst airline in terms of punctuality
According to the shared document, the changes will allow the airline to better utilize their aircraft time “to increase frequencies on well-performing routes from JetBlue’s focus cities.” At the same time the carrier will be able to “increase crucial ground time” for its aircraft, thus “reducing the chance of delays” for customers.
The airline is seeking to offer better customer service after it ranked last in punctuality in 2023, according to data from The Wall Street Journal. The airline fell behind its low-cost competitors Frontier Airlines and Spirit for the third time since 2021.
JetBlue ranked last in baggage handling, punctuality, tarmac delays, extreme delays and flight cancellations. Additionally, it came in sixth place for mishandled luggage and complaints, and fourth for unintentional collisions.