Low-cost airline JetBlue announced plans to eliminate routes to five cities and reduce service to Los Angeles in order to improve its financial performance. The airline is facing challenges after a federal court blocked its proposed merger with rival budget carrier Spirit Airlines.
JetBlue will be cutting routes to Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Bogota, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru. Additionally, service to Newburgh, New York will be eliminated and flights in Los Angeles will be reduced from 34 to 24 daily flights by June. Falling short of expectations in these markets was cited as the reason for the changes.
The airline is also dealing with a shortage of aircraft due to issues with RTX Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines in some of its Airbus A320neo airliners. In response, JetBlue is taking aggressive action to return to profitability. This includes deferring aircraft capital expenditures, cutting costs through buyouts, and aiming to generate an extra $300 million in revenue this year.
The proposed merger with Spirit Airlines was blocked by a federal judge in January, prompting both JetBlue and Spirit to restructure their operations. The goal is to improve financial performance in light of the failed merger. Stay tuned for updates on how these changes will impact travelers and the airline industry as a whole.
“Prone to fits of apathy. Devoted music geek. Troublemaker. Typical analyst. Alcohol practitioner. Food junkie. Passionate tv fan. Web expert.”