JetBlue cuts 8 routes, exits 1 market in big network shift
JetBlue Airways is working to return to profitability.
The New York-based carrier's latest move slashes eight high-profile routes amid a broader network shake-up, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
The affected routes that will be cut are:
- Boston-San Jose, California
- Fort Lauderdale-Jacksonville, Florida
- New York-Austin
- New York-Houston
- New York-London
- New York-Miami
- New York-Milwaukee
- Westchester County, New York-Charleston, South Carolina
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In addition to the aforementioned cuts, JetBlue will cease flying several routes during the summer season. These include Boston to Grenada and to Phoenix, as well as New York to Tulum.
Furthermore, JetBlue will pull its Mint-equipped Airbus A321 from its transcon routes from New York and Boston to Seattle. The airline didn't file any new routes for its jets with a business-class cabin, so it remains to be seen if JetBlue has other plans for these airplanes.
Of all the routes, just one represents a permanent station exit: San Jose. Without JetBlue service to Boston from San Jose, travelers in Silicon Valley will need to either trek up to San Francisco or connect somewhere along the way.
Another noteworthy change is eliminating flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London's Gatwick Airport (LGW). Furthermore, JetBlue will axe one of its daily flights between New York and Paris this summer.
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These routes launched as part of JetBlue's transatlantic expansion, which has since been pared back to just the highest-performing routes.
All of these network changes are part of JetBlue's JetForward plan, which is being enacted under new leadership from CEO Joanna Geraghty.
Former CEO Robin Hayes was ultimately responsible for much of the aforementioned growth, especially some of the poor-performing transatlantic expansion that's now being cut.
The JetForward strategy is meant to return the carrier to profitability for the first time since before the pandemic. As part of the plan, the airline is redeploying about 20% of its flying to more profitable pastures. (JetBlue's plan is to boost service from the Northeast, where it has long been among the biggest carriers.)
The airline shared the following explanation in a statement:
As part of our JetForward strategic plan, JetBlue is focused on building a network that best serves our customers and supports our long-term success. Recently, we made some network adjustments in certain markets, removing some underperforming flying from our schedule, allowing us to redeploy resources, including our popular Mint service, toward high-demand markets and new opportunities. In the coming weeks, we will announce how we will redeploy this capacity, including into our European network, providing even more travel options for our customers.
JetBlue has already announced two major network shake-ups this year alone, including several station exits and a large number of route cuts.
At some point, JetBlue will need to start redrawing its route map with new routes, and the airline confirms that the process will start in the coming weeks.
Earlier this year, JetBlue began flying to Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) and New Hampshire's Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) — two new dots on the route map that seem to be performing well.
"I feel great about the stuff we've added. Manchester, Islip, as far as new cities, both are looking extremely well. I think it really comes back to the core of the strength that this brand has in the Northeast corner of the U.S.," said Marty St. George, JetBlue's president, at the Skift Aviation Forum last month.
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