BobOfBorg

There are a lot of people in NH who would like to know if this rumor about JetBlue leasing 3 gates at MHT is true. B6 would certainly be welcomed in MHT, it's about time. Has anyone asked airport management? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they were required to remain mum on the topic. If true, it's just the shot in the arm that Manchester needs.

djplong

The more I don't hear about this (and I live just south of MHT) the more I think that it might have been a lease option - giving JetBlue time to see whether or not they will really act on coming to MHT. With an option, nothing is official - they've just bought a placeholder to make sure they can get in when/if they decide to.

In my mind, that's the only thing that makes sense enough to explain why nothing official has been announced. I mean, the MHT airport director is pretty much starving for good news to release. JetBlue coming to MHT could have the same effect as Southwest coming to MHT and offset some of what happened when Southwest later went to BOS and cut their number of flights at MHT.

NHLTech

Hang on now sports fans, I work at KMHT and for years I've been hearing rumors about JBU coming to MHT, but this past few months I have been hearing A LOT of chatter between coworkers and airport officials. This may be factual and i really hope it is.

I've personally handled JBU diversions from BOS or PVD due to weather and the crew is always a delight to deal with.

Now as far as gates go if they did lease 1, 2, and 3 it most likely is to accommodate aircraft type, gate 1 and 2 I believe cannot support an Airbus but gate 3 can as well as gate 4. Currently United has the lease on Gate 1 and 2 and gates 3, 4, 6(?), 7, 10 are not owned by anyone. So if they do take those three i dont belive 2 E190s can fit next to each other at gates 1 and 2. The better choice for them would be to buy Gate 3, 4, and 5 and move DL over.

As far as flights go MCO is WN bread and butter at MHT, and DCA is covered well with US. There used to be a Freedom JFK flight back in the day and that plane left the airport once on time, so I don't see that happening. However theres no Midwest flights out MHT (Used to have PHX, LAS, and DEN) but not enough interest in those and frankly...duh??). IM really hoping for a direct west coast flight LAX or something, as well as a FLL.

Now one big thing that i think would be a huge thing for MHT is right now US customs is most likely heading out the door at MHT due to lack of buisness, if JBU came in and did say San Juan? or another carribean flight, that might spark WN and others to pick up there Internation routes for vacation and could really bring back some buisness.

Last part is a pipe dream but hey, direct flight from MHT - TSJU, yes please!^^

diburning

If what you're saying about United currently leasing gates 1 and 2, then it possible that JetBlue is either interested in leasing 1, 2, and 3, or was interested and it fell through. My friend no longer works at MHT, so he's unable to give me any updates on this.

djplong

Well, let's see where they'd be connecting using the other New England airports as a template...

Portland and Burlington only have flights to JFK.

Worcester and Providence only do Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

Hartford, however, does Washington (Reagan National), Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and San Juan

I don't think we can expect Hartford-level service out of Manchester.

N830MH

And Las Vegas, as well as Long Beach or Los Angeles.

xSTRIKEx6864

JetBlue CEO was in New Hampshire last week to hear a pitch to start service to the airport.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...9414/-1/mobile

Most logical routes for them are MHT-JFK and MHT-FLL. At JFK, people can connect to transcontinental / midwest flights, plus there is some O&D traffic, and JetBlue has partners that fly from JFK to Europe & Asia. At FLL, people can connect to all the Caribbean / South America flights, plus there is a decent amount of O&D traffic.

N830MH

And also, MHT-MCO, MHT-TPA, and MHT-DCA, as well. You forgetting something? There is more specific routes from MHT.

sbm12

I'd bet against JFK.

djplong

I think it all depends on how many slots they have available at JFK, EWR or LGA.

To be honest, I had just about given up hope of JetBlue coming to MHT (15 miles north of my house)

Dieuwer

MHT already has a big Southwest present. Are they not happy with that? Isn't LUV not the so-called "low cost/low airfare" carrier?"
So stop the crocodile tears already.

sbm12

Sure, though that's not actually true when one looks at the numbers in established markets where WN dominates. Good marketing/branding can beat reality, unfortunately.

adambisi

Also - WN has trimmed MHT in favor of growth in BOS.

They used to have BNA, DEN, PHX, and year-round LAS and their seasonal MHT-FLL service is an absolute joke and is waiting to be picked off by B6.

I would say they go into MHT with 2 daily flights each to FLL and MCO if they go in at all.

octr202

I'm also one that would have an easier trip to MHT than BOS, and often price flights out of both. B6 virtually always beats WN out of MHT, and often times enough to offset the increased parking costs, too.

Ericka

The problem with MHT is that when there is a mechanical or the slightest bit of weather, it's over. There are so few flights out of MHT that it's difficult to make a recovery. We've had better luck flying out of BOS.