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- Nov 26, 2001
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Not that this is a big surprise...but kinda nice to see the big bad wolf back down.
JetBlue wants flight slots
LONG BEACH — JetBlue Airways is set to take possession of two daily flight
slots at Long Beach Airport abandoned by rival American Airlines, which is
scrambling to cut costs because of rocketing jet fuel costs and a
redeployment of planes to other American hubs.
Besieged by high fuel costs, JetBlue on Thursday announced profits had
plummeted 71 percent in the third quarter thanks to the fuel prices and a
summer of hurricanes . The airline intends to use the flight slots, city
officials say, but is keeping mum so far about what destinations it will add
from Long Beach.
"Assuming American turns them in, we will use them within the time
provided," said JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke. "At this point, we have no
definitive place to put them."
JetBlue operates 22 daily flight slots, and on its winter schedule will use
the slots to fly to New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., Salt Lake City, Oakland and Las Vegas.
JetBlue uses Long Beach Airport as its West Coast hub.
The city is operating under the assumption American will not go back on its
decision, said Sharon Diggs-Jackson, an airport spokeswoman, said. "Unless
we hear differently, our intent is to retrieve and reclaim those slots,"
Diggs-Jackson said.
American is discontinuing the flights - nonstops from Long Beach to John F.
Kennedy Airport in New York - so that it can redeploy planes used for those
flights to its primary hub at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, executives said in
early October.
American will continue to operate five flights out of Long Beach, all to DFW
Airport.
American's move caught the city by surprise because it was American two
years ago who had threatened the city and airport with legal action in a
battle to get more flight slots.
To settle the dispute, which was joined by Alaska Airlines, JetBlue gave up
five of its original 27 flight slots. Three of the slots went to American
and two to Alaska.
The agreement says JetBlue is first in line for any slots abandoned by
American or Alaska.
Discussing JetBlue's third-quarter performance, CEO David Neeleman said the
airline industry is beginning to see some "rationality' hit as airlines
scramble to deal with fuel costs and stiffer competition, and cited
American's decision to discontinue its service to JFK Airport from Long
Beach.
At one point, there were 11 daily nonstop flights to New York City from Long
Beach - three by American and eight by JetBlue - and three on American from
Orange County. But now there will be only six, all by JetBlue.
"That's a tremendous difference," Neeleman said. "Fuel prices are making
people get a lot more rational."
http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~21478~2504371,00.html
JetBlue wants flight slots
LONG BEACH — JetBlue Airways is set to take possession of two daily flight
slots at Long Beach Airport abandoned by rival American Airlines, which is
scrambling to cut costs because of rocketing jet fuel costs and a
redeployment of planes to other American hubs.
Besieged by high fuel costs, JetBlue on Thursday announced profits had
plummeted 71 percent in the third quarter thanks to the fuel prices and a
summer of hurricanes . The airline intends to use the flight slots, city
officials say, but is keeping mum so far about what destinations it will add
from Long Beach.
"Assuming American turns them in, we will use them within the time
provided," said JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke. "At this point, we have no
definitive place to put them."
JetBlue operates 22 daily flight slots, and on its winter schedule will use
the slots to fly to New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., Salt Lake City, Oakland and Las Vegas.
JetBlue uses Long Beach Airport as its West Coast hub.
The city is operating under the assumption American will not go back on its
decision, said Sharon Diggs-Jackson, an airport spokeswoman, said. "Unless
we hear differently, our intent is to retrieve and reclaim those slots,"
Diggs-Jackson said.
American is discontinuing the flights - nonstops from Long Beach to John F.
Kennedy Airport in New York - so that it can redeploy planes used for those
flights to its primary hub at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, executives said in
early October.
American will continue to operate five flights out of Long Beach, all to DFW
Airport.
American's move caught the city by surprise because it was American two
years ago who had threatened the city and airport with legal action in a
battle to get more flight slots.
To settle the dispute, which was joined by Alaska Airlines, JetBlue gave up
five of its original 27 flight slots. Three of the slots went to American
and two to Alaska.
The agreement says JetBlue is first in line for any slots abandoned by
American or Alaska.
Discussing JetBlue's third-quarter performance, CEO David Neeleman said the
airline industry is beginning to see some "rationality' hit as airlines
scramble to deal with fuel costs and stiffer competition, and cited
American's decision to discontinue its service to JFK Airport from Long
Beach.
At one point, there were 11 daily nonstop flights to New York City from Long
Beach - three by American and eight by JetBlue - and three on American from
Orange County. But now there will be only six, all by JetBlue.
"That's a tremendous difference," Neeleman said. "Fuel prices are making
people get a lot more rational."
http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~21478~2504371,00.html
TC
