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Old Apr 7, 2016 | 11:40 pm
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Mint Expansion Coming

Not yet confirmed by the company but expect a formal announcement soon that Mint will expand to SEA/SAN/LAS in the relatively near future. Looks to be the first move by the company to counter the VX/AS deal.

Also affects the near-term A321 orders as some expected Core config planes will need to be converted to Mint config to grow the service.
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Old Apr 7, 2016 | 11:45 pm
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May as well jump on AS's core transcon markets and drag down yields for them while raising them for B6. As the VX product winds down, people will be looking around for options.
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Old Apr 8, 2016 | 12:18 pm
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I'm sure the yields aren't close to SFO and LAX, but there's definitely a decent share of paid F demand on JFK-LAS. Good move for B6.
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Old Apr 8, 2016 | 12:54 pm
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Originally Posted by dw
I'm sure the yields aren't close to SFO and LAX, but there's definitely a decent share of paid F demand on JFK-LAS. Good move for B6.
With DL offering walk up fares as high as $2484.10 from JFK to SEA, there is plenty of room for B6 to drive demand.
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Old Apr 9, 2016 | 2:47 pm
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They also added a 2nd daily JFK-SEA flight last year in response to that demand. Now if they would only do that on the PDX route...
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Old Apr 9, 2016 | 7:09 pm
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Originally Posted by sfozrhfco
With DL offering walk up fares as high as $2484.10 from JFK to SEA, there is plenty of room for B6 to drive demand.
And yet DL's attempt to introduce domestic BusinessElite (as it was then called) service on this route failed, and was quietly withdrawn (though some flights are still operated with the hard product).

That said, if B6 can offer Mint at lower prices than DL's domestic J or F products, perhaps they'll be more successful.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 5:15 am
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New routes confirmed. FLL is also in on the fun for SFO/LAX flights, along with the previously suggested JFK-LAS and BOS/JFK-SAN/SEA routes. Service will be upgraded starting in 2017 and continue through into 2018 as new A321s are delivered with the Mint configuration. Nine A321s will be delivered in 2017 in the Mint config.


http://blog.wandr.me/2016/04/jetblue...int-expansion/
http://otp.investis.com/clients/us/j...1&newsid=33365

Last edited by sbm12; Apr 12, 2016 at 6:01 am
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 5:45 am
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Originally Posted by sbm12
New routes confirmed. FLL is also in on the fun for SFO/LAX flights, along with the previously suggested JFK-LAS and BOS/JFK-SAN/SEA routes. Service will be upgraded starting in 2017 and continue through into 2018 as new A321s are delivered with the Mint configuration. Nine A321s will be delivered in 2017 in the Mint config.


http://otp.investis.com/clients/us/j...1&newsid=33365
Good Call

Nice to see Mint coming to FLL as well. Makes the overnight flight from LAX/SFO much more bearable to either do a weekend trip or to connect to the Caribbean and Latin America.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 6:42 am
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Fantastic news. The expansion of Mint to FLL means I'll rarely (if ever) need to set foot on AA to California again...
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 8:01 am
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If this was a (partial) dig at AS, should have had PDX included ("I see your take over of VX, and I'll raise you with MINT services between my hubs and your hubs/focus cities"). I got this idea because I was puzzled at SAN at first, but then I realized that AS flies BOS-SAN.

Seriously, this is a great news for JFK/BOS fliers.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 8:48 am
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Originally Posted by cmd320
Fantastic news. The expansion of Mint to FLL means I'll rarely (if ever) need to set foot on AA to California again...
I think that is exactly the plan. There are plenty of people that don't like AA that would welcome a premium product from South Florida to California. AS and AA are partners so the less people tied to AA also means fewer people would consider AS.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 8:50 am
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Originally Posted by sfozrhfco
May as well jump on AS's core transcon markets and drag down yields for them while raising them for B6. As the VX product winds down, people will be looking around for options.
Perhaps AS should consider retaining VX as "their" MINT alternative.

Originally Posted by dw
I'm sure the yields aren't close to SFO and LAX, but there's definitely a decent share of paid F demand on JFK-LAS. Good move for B6.
For a 4 hour flight? Perhaps, but I doubt at $599 OW.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 8:55 am
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Originally Posted by Dieuwer
Perhaps AS should consider retaining VX as "their" MINT alternative.

For a 4 hour flight? Perhaps, but I doubt at $599 OW.
AA routinely sells their crAAp product from JFK-LAS at prices exceeding $1000, often closer to $1200 I certainly can't find anything less than $1000 in the next month or so. That's nearly 6 hours on a domestic 737-800, yuck. I think $1198 for Mint on the same flight is very acceptable.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 9:15 am
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Originally Posted by cmd320
AA routinely sells their crAAp product from JFK-LAS at prices exceeding $1000, often closer to $1200 I certainly can't find anything less than $1000 in the next month or so. That's nearly 6 hours on a domestic 737-800, yuck.
How about using AA miles or Avios, instead of paying cash?
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 9:33 am
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Originally Posted by Dieuwer
How about using AA miles or Avios, instead of paying cash?
At what price point? If you're lucky enough to find a 25k AA seat that's not bad but at 50k points the cash equivalent is getting up near list price. And with Avios you pay "first" rates so 50k for saver level inventory IIRC. To say nothing of the fact that the VAST majority of travelers pay for flights with cash, not points.

This is a move to pick up VX pax who don't want the AS product or some AS regulars looking for a true premium offering on transcons.

As for PDX, the market there is smaller. I'd love to see Mint there, too, and I'd bet PDX is a stronger case than SMF or maybe even LGB. But still not there yet.

Last edited by sbm12; Apr 12, 2016 at 9:40 am
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