Jetblue pulling the plug on LGB to LAS

[lowecur]

after April 30th. Not officially reported yet, but you can't buy tickets after that date. Other message boards say they only offered those flights to hold the slots at LGB, and will now offer more transcons to LGB.

 

[jointops]

Yep,
That's the unofficial word. Our Station Manager there confirmed that about 2 weeks ago. It's been rumored for several months, but now that we have the additional BOS-LGB flying and another JFK-LAS flying the rumors are now fact.

Although we do make money on those flights, they do indeed need the LGB slots for the Transcon flights.

Happy landings

 

[Midnight Mike]

Sheesh! I wish that Long Beach would help Jetblue out with more slots, community is very agressive about airport noise. I think that there are over 20 regional slots still available, too bad those can not be used for Jetblue.

You should attend the monthly noise budget meetings that they have every month, they think that Jetblue is the devil!

 

[F70pilot]

"20 commuter slots available"

You don't suppose that might be where the EMB 190s will start do you?

 

[Intruder One]

They are the DEVIL........

 

[RShebib]

Come on Intruder......how can you say that......you don't even know the people at the noise budget meetings.....they could be nice people......

 

[General Lee]

Midnightmike,

Yeah, they can get some more slots, if we all can have some too.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Midnight Mike]

Come on Intruder......how can you say that......you don't even know the people at the noise budget meetings.....they could be nice people......

Oh no! The people that attend the noise budget meetings are nasty, very focal, & quite rude.

 

[RShebib]

Mike.....I was laying on a little sarcasm towards Intruder.....

 

[Midnight Mike]

Mike.....I was laying on a little sarcasm towards Intruder.....

Sorry dude, my sarcasm was off today, I think it needs a re-boot. At one of those meetings I got into a squabble with some people that would not stop talking.

 

[side stick-n]

Four years ago, LGB couldn't pay airlines to take the slots available. We take them, use them, make money with them and now EVERYBODY wants them. I'd say you had your chance General. Now take a number.

FWIW, the EMB190 is to heavy for the commuter slots. HEY, there's an idea, put a "Song" CRJ in there. Flown by "Delta Pilots" of course.......Just razzin' ya General!

Devil? I think we do have a plane named "Devil With A BLUE Dress On". So there's the proof.

 

[General Lee]

Side-stick-n,

Sure, we had our chance a long time ago, but now you guys have developed the market for us. Thanks a lot! I bet if we added some flights there we could run you out of there too.....Just razzin' you too bud! Take care! (And we should have some Delta Furloughs in some of those RJs---under our name---or under the name "Dance.")

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[side stick-n]

Wouldn't "Song Sung Blue" be better?

 

[General Lee]

Side-stick-n,

Looks like we aren't the only ones sing'n the BLUES...



JetBlue Airways "fell on its own knife" in the fourth quarter as its internal capacity growth hurt its profitability, JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker proclaimed last week. In early Dec., JetBlue revised its previously issued operating margin guidance downward to 13%-14%, citing "capacity additions resulting in lower average fares, particularly in our Western markets" (ATWOnline, Dec. 5). It did not identify the airline(s) responsible for the additions, but in a report released last week Baker noted that JetBlue boosted its own capacity 49% in the Oct.-Dec. period while the rest of the industry showed zero growth in competitive markets. "JetBlue was the sole growth culprit in the fourth quarter," he concluded. Now, with network rivals set to flood its markets with 12% additional capacity this quarter followed by a 16% increase in the March-June period, the carrier may be in for some turbulence in 2004. In Boston, which it began serving this month, American Airlines and others are planning 25% capacity growth, "great news for Boston passengers but not JetBlue shareholders," Baker wrote. JetBlue's own system capacity is set to grow 48% in Jan. and 38% in Feb., he noted.
Separately, JetBlue reported that load factor for Dec. fell 2.7 points to 82.2% as capacity outpaced traffic. RPMs rose 43.6% to 1.08 billion while ASMs climbed 48.2% to 1.31 billion. For the 12 months ended Dec. 31, RPMs were up 68.6% to 11.53 billion, ASMs grew 65.5% to 13.64 billion and load factor gained 1.5 points to 84.5%..--Perry Flint




So, which new cities will get Jetblue service from LGB? PHL next? It's great that you guys get to keep those slots and use them like a revolving door to new cities. What will be next? And give me a city out West that you think can support a Jetblue HUB and not compete with Southwest or AWA?


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[side stick-n]

The whole JP Morgan thing has/is being discussed in another thread. I'm not sure what we did to make those guys dislike us so much but their past and present actions indicate that they have their own agenda. I'm really not concerned what they think. An 82.2% load factor is nothing to be upset about. There may have been other airlines above 80% but I couldn't find any. (sorry if I missed someone) We have put up some VERY large numbers in the past and it gets kinda hard to keep outdoing ourselves.

I have no clue what cities will be served from LGB. Even if I did, I wouldn't put it on the board. I'd say that the next city pair was LGB-JST (Johnstown, PA) and you'd have Delta putting in 30 flights a day from AOO (Altoona, PA) to every airport in the LA basin. Not a bad idea though. I would guess it to be something transcon obviously. With a limited number of flights, the smart thing is to make the most money with the slots available. LGB-LAS sure isn't going to do it. (Even though it does make money) It's no secret that we were sorta forced into using those slots sooner than we had planned. We didn't have the planes to use them all on transcons, so the only way we could use them was to do short haul flying and utilize the slots with less airplanes. Now, however, we will soon have the iron available.

General, you should know by now that JetBlue don't do HUBS. They're called "Focus Cities". Get it right next time or you get demoted!!! It's a fact that we do very little connecting of customers and most of that comes from the upstate NY and BTV airports. As for a "Focus City" out west, just look at a map. ANY fo those airports in SoCal and maybe even NorCal could be a future BIG home for us. But it will be one without the restrictive slots LGB has. Fortunate for me, I don't make those kind of decisions. I just fly'em where they tell me to and have a great time doing it.

Ok, I've decided to give you the inside scoop on the next city to be served from LGB. It's LGB-ITH. Four flights a day!!!! Now get those boys over there moving to add those flights from ELM to LA.

Take care Bud
and BTW, I tried to "Ride The Snake" but it didn't work. However I was LOTFLMAO. SNL is the best.







(The preceding paragraph concerning LGB-ITH was intended to be a JOKE)
you never know who might be reading this..........

 

[General Lee]

Side stick-n,

LGB to ITH? That will be a great nonstop for those Cornell students who live in Palos Verdes, CA or the greater Long Beach Area. I think we will start transcon "nonstops" ( expect two fuel stops if winds are too strong) in some of our new 70 seat RJS (via Comair or ASA). If we put 20 flights a day on that route, maybe you will vacate the LGB hub all together...?

I honestly didn't know they were called "focus cities"---so please don't demote me---I can't take the resulting paycut! I know you will be adding a lot of planes eventually, and I just can't see where you could have a significant hub (or focus city) without competing against current LCCs or Majors with fortified hubs...I think it will be harder than you think, but then again your live TV and blue potato chips are winning over everyone.

I think your 82% load factor is great, but I think it is because you are growing and currently sticking to the larger city pairs. When you have to eventually go to the smaller cities (besides Burlington) at greater frequency (because you will be getting more and more airplanes and have to fly them somewhere), you will have a harder time consistantly getting an 82% average load factor. But, if you can, that will be great for you.

That Jim Carey episode of SNL was hilarious. He really is a funny guy, and playing "Jimmy Tango" was one of his best. Take care.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[T-Bags]

"The whole JP Morgan thing has/is being discussed in another thread. I'm not sure what we did to make those guys dislike us so much but their past and present actions indicate that they have their own agenda."

Jamie is just about the only airline analyst with a clue, and from one of the only investment firms who DON'T have a conflict of interest with JB. Besides, one mans opinion (especially an AIRLINE ANALYST!!) is going to destroy your stock. I'd be more worried about the HUGE drop in institutional ownership over the last quarter. What do the professionals know that you don't? If you beat expectations, your stock will go up. Seems to me he just quoted YOUR CEO. Revenue growth is a HUGE factor in stock valuation. If it slows, your stock is worth less.

"ANY fo those airports in SoCal and maybe even NorCal could be a future BIG home for us. But it will be one without the restrictive slots LGB has."

Problem is there aren't any big airports with a nearby population base that hasn't been built up by others. LGB's restrictions made it impractical as a true "hub". That's why it was availible.

 

[hopeful]

side stick-n-

Ya nobody wanted those slots then. I guess since Jetblue helped them build the nice "trailer park" looking terminal all the good airlines want to go there. Whatever brother. You can keep your Long Beach trailer park. Real airlines fly out of real airports.

 

[Flying Freddie]

Yeah, Stick with the "real" airlines, they are losing money. Trailer park airports seem to be where the money is. You ought to be a CEO. You have the real airline big picture. Keep on trucking dude.

 

[side stick-n]

I thought I had finally gotten somewhere in my life and NOW I learn that I'm still that same ole trailer park trash....... Oh well, I can live with that!