JetBlue Airways informed its staff on Wednesday about its decision to discontinue more unprofitable flights, reassign aircraft equipped with its high-value business class, and make adjustments to its Europe service. These actions are part of the carrier’s ongoing efforts to achieve consistent profitability and reduce costs.
In April, JetBlue will cease using planes with Mint business class on Seattle flights. The airline also announced flight reductions from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Jacksonville, Florida; from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; Miami; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; as well as from Westchester, N.Y. and Milwaukee. Additionally, service to San Jose, California, will be discontinued.
JetBlue mentioned that discontinuing service between JFK and Miami will lead to an excess of staff in Miami. The company is collaborating with crew members to explore alternative options, such as working in other cities where JetBlue operates.
Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, explained in a staff note that while Florida remains a strong market for JetBlue, the airline has not been profitable in Miami post-COVID due to the presence of legacy carriers like American and Delta. JetBlue will maintain service to Miami from Boston.
According to the memo, JetBlue will introduce new Europe service next week. However, starting in the summer 2025 travel season, the airline will discontinue its second JFK-Paris flight and its seasonal service between New York and London’s Gatwick Airport.
These changes were announced following JetBlue’s report of better-than-expected revenue and bookings for November and December, leading to an increase in shares by over 8% on Wednesday. CEO Joanna Geraghty and her team are concentrating on cost reduction and eliminating unprofitable routes, particularly on the West Coast, amidst challenges like the Pratt & Whitney engine grounding and shifts in demand post-pandemic.
JetBlue assured customers affected by the changes that they can choose alternative flight options or receive a refund if other routes are not available. In a statement, JetBlue mentioned, “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.”
