Recently, JetBlue has been having the kinds of headlines no company likes to have
You know, the type of headlines that involve the phrases “the Justice Department,” “lawsuit” and “antitrust violations.”
At the moment, the Justice Department and six states are suing both JetBlue (JBLU) and American Airlines (AAL). The two airlines have an agreement in which they share revenue and coordinate schedules, but they don’t set prices. At the moment, there are flights the two companies share that can be booked through either airline.
The airlines say that they do this in order to remain competitive with the Northeastern region, which they claim is largely dominated by Delta, and also in order to give consumers more flight options.
The Justice Department takes a different view of the matter, deeming it an unofficial merger that costs consumers $700 million a year in higher fares.
The alliance “will eliminate significant competition between American and JetBlue that has led to lower fares and higher quality service for consumers traveling to and from those airports,” the Justice Department’s suit alleges. “It will also closely tie JetBlue’s fate to that of American, diminishing JetBlue’s incentives to compete with American in markets across the country.”
In order to get this topic out of the headlines, and to also, you know, get customers to continue to choose them over the myriad other options travelers currently have, JetBlue has recently been making moves to offer customers a bunch more stuff, and in a recent earnings call, CEO Robin Hayes said that more is on the way, including new destinations.
JetBlue Has Europe On its Mind
In JetBlue’s recent third-quarter earnings call, CEO Robin Hayes announced that the company was looking to add more overseas flights to its itinerary.
JetBlue, at the moment, has five Airbus A321LR, which are long-range narrow aircrafts, and are typically reserved for European and other Transatlantic routes.
Hayes has said JetBlue plans to get six more Airbuses before the end of the year, which he has earmarked for more Transatlantic routes. It eventually hopes to have 26 A321LRs and the even longer-range A321XLR.
In terms of overseas flights, JetBlue currently flies from New York JFK and Boston to London Heathrow and London Gatwick, most of those flights being A321LRs, according to Travel Weekly.
"We see an opportunity out of New York and Boston to fly to a number of European markets, and we are confidently progressing with those plans," he said.
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JetBlue Also Offers a Halloween Sale
Halloween isn’t really known as a time for a surprise gift. Candy? Sure. Spooky parties? Of course. Revealing and/or inappropriate costumes. Tis the season.
But out of nowhere gifts? Well, that’s not really what October is associated with. But maybe JetBlue wants to give you a treat without a trick. Or maybe JetBlue knows you’ve been working hard and you need a break, but with inflation being what is it these days, maybe you’re not sure about getting away right now.
As part of a three-day national “Monster Sale,” JetBlue is offering flights as low as $31, as noted by Travel + Leisure.
The sale ends on October 27th and is valid for flights from Nov. 2 through Feb. 15.
But it is not valid on blackout dates from Nov. 18 through Nov. 28 and Dec. 16 through Jan. 3, 2023. So JetBlue is in the giving mood, but it’s not giving you cheap flights during prime holiday seasons. There’s a limit to their generosity.
