The elimination of the JetBlue Airways route from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Mercedita, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, responds to the fact that it has not had the expected reception.
In statements to El Diario, the low-cost airline explained that the cancellation of the route that lands in the southern town is part of the company’s strategy to be more profitable.
“We are constantly adjusting our network to support our strategy and these recent changes are a necessary step to help us return to profitability. All included routes have performed below our expectations. These changes occur as post-COVID travel patterns continue to evolve,” said spokespersons for the New York-based airline.
The decision also goes hand in hand with the measures taken by the company to adjust to the challenges posed by the shortage of air traffic control employees, particularly in the northeast region of the country.
In that sense, the company noted: “We also continue to evaluate our network with a focus on reliability. By eliminating some of our less in-demand flights, we will give our operation more time to plan for the challenges of air traffic control in the Northeast. Extending the times between each flight and allowing more flexibility in the system will help us get customers where they need to go, with less chance of delays.”
Routes will be eliminated starting October 27
JetBlue explained that, although as of October 27 of this year they will stop flying to Ponce, travelers in Orlando, Florida, will continue to have the option of traveling by air to Mercedita International Airport.
“Closing routes and markets is never easy, however, we are making changes to where we fly that will result in JetBlue stopping service on some routes and reducing its seasonal service on others, including our service from JFK in New York to Ponce, to starting October 27, 2024. We will continue to offer service throughout the year from Orlando to Ponce,” they explained.
JetBlue added that as they close some routes, they continue to redirect flights toward leisure and VFR (travel to visit friends and family) destinations where demand has grown.
At the end of last January, information emerged about the cancellation of several JetBlue routes leaving New York, after a federal judge blocked the company’s merger with Spirit Airlines.
Other flights that the airline will no longer operate are Portland, Oregon; and San Jose, California.
The change will also affect seasonal crossings from Westchester County Airport in NY to Martha’s Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts.
Flights to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will also be affected.
JetBlue will also stop operating at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
The company has insisted that the removal decision was made before the decision made by Judge William Young and is not a result of the ruling.
Spirit does not operate in Mercedita either
Spirit has also canceled several routes to the “Island of Enchantment.”
Since last October, the airline has not flown to Mercedita or the Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, in the west of the island.
At the time of announcing its departure from regional airfields, Spirit indicated that the decision was due to the lack of availability of Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for the aircraft in its fleet and the poor performance of the routes.
Crystal Bell, director of Air and Maritime Access of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (CTPR), told El Nuevo Día this week that conversations continue for Spirit to resume operations in the aforementioned terminals. However, she acknowledged that for the reasons stated above and the proposed merger with JetBlue, the path is uncertain.
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