JetBlue is cutting back some New York-area operations this fall as it shifts more flying to South Florida.
The carrier will close its inflight base at Newark Liberty International Airport and its technical operations bases at both Newark and LaGuardia Airport, JetBlue confirmed to FOX Business. The airline said no employees will lose their jobs as a result of the closures.
“With recent schedule changes, we are adjusting the operational footprint needed to support our flying going forward,” the company said. “… Crewmembers will be able to bid or transfer into other bases, and no crewmembers will lose their jobs due to these closures.”
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JetBlue also said it is ending seasonal service between Newark and Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
At the same time, the airline is expanding at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where it is adding more Mint flights, JetBlue’s premium cabin service, to the West Coast.
“This growth includes new and additional Mint flying from Fort Lauderdale to the West Coast as we grow in South Florida after Spirit’s exit from the market,” the company said.
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JetBlue, which is headquartered in Long Island City, New York, said it sees “significant opportunity” to grow in Fort Lauderdale, where it says customers “know and love the JetBlue experience.”
JetBlue President Marty St. George and Chief Operating Officer Warren Christie told staff the airline needs to move quickly as competitors shift their own routes, according to CNBC.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBLU | JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP. | 5.68 | +0.55 | +10.72% |
“We’re operating in a fast-changing landscape where competitors are constantly adding, reducing and shifting flying in response to market conditions,” the executives said in a note to staff. “We have to be just as agile, entering markets where we see opportunity and exiting those that no longer support our long-term goals. Standing still while competitors make moves isn’t an option.”
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JetBlue, already the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, plans to add new Mint service from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego starting Nov. 19, along with more Mint flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco this winter, CNBC reported.
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Last month, JetBlue said it would drop 11 routes this summer, including all service from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire, as it focuses more on Florida, according to Business Insider.
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