Jetblue’s Airbus A321 neo LR At Paris Air Show
(New York, NY) — New York based Jet Blue Airways says it’s cutting back the number of flights from JFK and other airports just as the summer travel season revs up. The airline will be cutting some off-peak flights and unprofitable routes. CEO Joanna Geraghty says she is seeing softer demand than expected, but is hoping flight bookings eventually rebound. The CEO told staff members in a memo that even a recovery won’t fully offset the ground lost this year. She worries the path back to profitability will take longer than the airline hoped. Department of Labor stats show air travel in May was down more than seven percent compared to May of last year.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says JFK International Airport will be very busy this summer, even as JetBlue cuts back service. Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton is expecting 18-point-three-million passengers to use the airport this summer, a record. It comes as JFK is in the middle of a 19-point-one-billion-dollar transformation, that include new terminals and new roadways. The Port Authority is urging drivers to use mass transit and the JFK AirTrain to get to the airport.
