JetBlue Plans Major Northeast Expansion

JetBlue Airways today announced the next wave of new destinations and increased frequencies from Boston and New York JFK, including 10 daily flights between the two cities. The airline said it would deploy the first of its new 100-seat Embraer 190 aircraft to handle service expansion.

Boston-New York JFK flights will start Nov. 19 and ramp up by Dec. 20. By offering such frequent service in the busy Northeast Corridor, JetBlue will battle for frequent travelers against Delta's and US Airways' shuttle operations at LaGuardia, multiple daily flights offered by American at all three major New York metropolitan-area airports, a deep Continental schedule at Newark and intercity Amtrak rail service.

JetBlue also announced new nonstop flights from JFK to Austin, Texas, effective Jan. 19, 2006, and from JFK to Richmond, Va., effective March 31, 2006. In December, it will boost frequencies to Buffalo, N.Y., and Burlington, Vt.

"With the delivery of one new E190 every 20 days, plus 16 new A320 aircraft in 2006, and adding seven more gates at New York's JFK, JetBlue will have the potential to offer up to 200 daily flights, also increasing the number of connection opportunities between JetBlue and the 80-plus international carriers that serve the world's number-one international gateway airport," said JetBlue CEO David Neeleman.

Meanwhile, JetBlue in Boston in the coming months plans to add service to four new destinations, in addition to New York JFK. They include Austin; Nassau, Bahamas; Richmond and West Palm Beach. Including previously announced service expansions and new connection opportunities via JFK, JetBlue by early April 2006 would triple the number of destinations offered to Boston-area travelers.