Finally, JetBlue has revealed its eagerly anticipated second European location.
Beginning in the summer of 2023, the New York-based airline will run flights from JFK Airport in New York to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (CDG), with flights from Boston to Paris following soon after, the airline announced.
The airline omitted starting dates as well as information on timing or schedules.
More than three years have passed since JetBlue's initial announcement of its intention to run transatlantic flights with service from New York and Boston to London.
The Boston route launched this past August after a delay brought on by staffing and supply chain issues, according to the airline. Flights between JFK and London started last year.
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes stated in an August interview that the airline would announce its second European location by the year's end, with service beginning the following summer.
It will be revealed in the upcoming months, he promised.
Because you have to give them advance notice so they can book it.
At the time, he mentioned that the airline had flights scheduled from both New York and Boston to the new city, but that they would have to begin with one before the other.
The teams are considering a variety of solutions, he added.
Although we'll fly to both (JFK and Boston), we must start with one.
The delivery delays from Airbus and rival Boeing have continued to impede network planners across the airline industry, thus JetBlue has only hinted at the impending announcement a few times and provided few other specifics.
JetBlue had to postpone its Boston-London launch earlier this year owing to Airbus A321LR extended-range aircraft problems. JetBlue operates transatlantic flights with this aircraft.
According to Hayes in August, "We had planned it carefully."
In the end, even that wasn't conservative enough.
JetBlue is, however, better able to plan its transatlantic expansion with the most recent delivery slots booked.
The airline anticipates receiving a total of seven A321LRs between 2023 and 2024 and will end 2022 with six of them.
With deliveries set to start in 2024, it has placed orders for a further 13 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which have a further increased range.
With the expansion of its long-haul, narrow-body aircraft, JetBlue has previously stated that it is interested in expanding its market share in Europe.
Joanna Geraghty, president of the airline, stated in October 2021 that the XLR has increased the alternatives available across the continent.
At the time, Geraghty stated, "That will allow us more access into central and Eastern Europe."
She stated at the time that the airline intended to keep concentrating on its hub cities for its European operations as opposed to looking to other U.S. locations within its network.
She stated in October, "New York and Boston are it right now.
"Would that be applicable to other places?
Possibly.
However, when considering the LR and its performance range, Boston and New York serve as the aircraft's "sweet spots."
The A321LR could travel 4,000 nautical miles from New York or Boston to a number of well-known European cities.
Dublin, Reykjavik, Paris, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madrid, Brussels, Munich, Copenhagen, Oslo, or perhaps Rome are among them, albeit the actual operating range of the aircraft depends on how JetBlue has configured it.
The A321LR is already used by Aer Lingus and SAS for transatlantic travel.
With an extra 700 nautical miles of the range provided by the A321XLR, JetBlue could fly to the same cities from points farther afield in the United States or establish routes from bases in Florida to most of South America.
Additionally, Frontier Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier, intends to employ the narrow-body aircraft as part of a trans-Atlantic expansion. Frontier Airlines has placed an order for 18 A321XLRs, with deliveries beginning in 2026.
When questioned about the airline's plans for the XLR, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle responded, "Europe, Hawaii, and South America," in a comprehensive interview conducted in October.
We are assessing them.
Almost anywhere in the northeastern United States could travel to Europe, said Biffle.
We are in Boston...
We are in Philadelphia and Islip, both in New York.
JetBlue's top-of-the-line Mint Suites and Studios are available on its A321LR aircraft.
The seating in the 22 Mint Suites is arranged in a 1-1 herringbone pattern, with chairs that are slightly inclined inward toward the aisle.
Each suite has a sliding door that fully closes and is completely enclosed.
A 17-inch screen, lots of storage, and an integrated wireless phone charger are also included in each.
There is a tonne of extra space, two windows, a belted side seat (so you can move about a little or converse with your travel buddy), and a 22-inch screen in the two Mint Studios at the front of the cabin.
Over the Suite, the Studios are more expensive.
In addition, there are 114 "Core" economy seats, 24 of which have extra legroom.
All 114 seats have adjustable headrests and "shoulder-friendly sidewalls," according to the airline.
Core chairs have structured seat pockets, 10.1-inch screens, and USB and standard AC power connections.
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