Not to mention the fact that AS brings very little to JetBlue. How many airlines have bought a CA based carrier and ended up completely dismantling the network and having little to show for it? Pretty much every single one. We will see what remains of the current VX network after the dust settles in a few years.
One of the few success stories in building up a CA based business was WN and they did it without buying another carrier. This approach will be far less costly for B6 than overpaying for VX.
JetBlue is already the price leader in the premium transcon markets and has disrupted things there. Bringing some more innovation and now having money to carry out the cabin refresh (hopefully sooner than later) should give them a good, competitive product.
Things with AS may be a bit ugly as the acquisition moves along and VX fliers may well look elsewhere as the VX experience disappears. AS comes across as being more conservative and blah. Don't know how they will fare with the VX crowd.
We will see what B6 comes up with as the year progresses.