JetBlue is preparing for a record-breaking summer of transatlantic growth.
The New York-based airline revealed on Tuesday that it will extend service to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) starting "later this summer" from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to AMS flights will start at an unspecified later time.
JetBlue will use the 138-seat Airbus A321LR, or "long-range," on its new daily route to Amsterdam, as it does in its other European markets.
These single-aisle aircraft are furnished with 114 standards "Core" economy seats (24 of which are in an extra-legroom Even More Space configuration), two extra-large, front-row Mint Studios, 22 Mint suites with direct aisle access, and 22 Mint suites.
For those who have been following JetBlue's transatlantic plans, the revelation about Amsterdam may not come as much of a surprise, but it does so only three weeks after the airline encountered a regulatory obstacle.
To obtain authorization to operate flights to Amsterdam, JetBlue has been on a judicial crusade. It even asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for assistance in order to gain access to this well-liked market. The airline received coveted takeoff and landing licenses on a temporary basis for this summer, but it was dissatisfied with the situation.
If the airline had to stop operating its additional flights once the winter season arrived, it would face "significant market planning challenges" and "reputational harm" because of these short-term slots.
JetBlue initially stated that it would not begin service until it had secured permanent Amsterdam slots, and it currently believes that this will happen.
The announcement on Tuesday came just after a Dutch court rejected the idea of capping the number of annual departures and arrivals at AMS.
In November, this "balanced approach" was supposed to go into action. As part of an effort to lessen air and noise pollution in the area, it was prepared to regulate the number of AMS's annual aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings) at 440,000 — down 60,000 from the previous allotment.
The airline claims that it is "confident in the long-term path" to servicing Amsterdam without this cap, but it did make note that the new flights are still pending approval from the government for operation. That's presumably one of the reasons the carrier hasn't decided when the inaugural will take place.
JetBlue will provide three transatlantic destinations: London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The airline recently revealed information about its new flights to the City of Light, which will begin on June 29 from New York, starting in 2021, when service to the capital of the United Kingdom was first introduced.
Despite the fact that the transatlantic travel market is expected to be crowded this summer, Joanna Geraghty, president, and CO of JetBlue believes the airline can handle everything.
In a recent interview with us, Geraghty remarked, "We can do them both," referring to flying to Paris and Amsterdam this year utilizing the five new Airbus A321LR planes JetBlue intends to receive soon.
The potential of others to expand [in Amsterdam] is being hampered by entrenched legacy carriers and joint ventures that have been operating for a while, according to Geraghty.
She most likely meant the transatlantic joint venture between Air France-KLM and Delta, which operates up to five flights each day between New York and Amsterdam. Only two airlines operated flights from Boston to Amsterdam: Delta and KLM.
Now, a fresh competitor named JetBlue will give these transatlantic behemoths some competition.
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