EBiafore99

A couple of weeks ago, I contacted B6 to ask when the schedule release for flights after 04/30/2019 would be. I received a reply stating the next schedule release would be 09/30/2018 for flights through 06/12/2019. On 09/30, B6 sent me a text that the 09/30 schedule release would not happen and they could not tell me when the release would be. (BTW - very happy about the proactive text)

Does anyone know when the next schedule release will be? Normally, I don't plan this far in advance, but B6 is one of only two US carriers serving Barbados (the other being AA, which I will not fly) and the schedule between DTW-BGI can only be scheduled on certain days. We want to travel in 05/2019.

Any insight would be appreciated!

hi55us

Ooh no idea... wonder if they're looking to get into TATL flights for Summer 2019....

hi55us

Ooh no idea... wonder if they're looking to get into TATL flights for Summer 2019....

MSYtoJFKagain

That would be shockingly fast. I wouldn't expect to see that until late 2020 earliest

Cledaybuck

Brighton Line

They just said in their investors' briefing they are pushing TA flights and not converting A321 orders to LR. The A220 orders are probably a priority and then realignment of the fleet over the service areas.

sbm12

Zero chance of this. Even Summer 2020 appears unlikely based on comments made recently.

ETA: The conversion lead time is ~18 months based on what JetBlue execs have said. They get asked very often if a decision has been made to convert and they know better than to lie about it. We'll have plenty of advance warning that it is happening.

Cledaybuck

EBiafore99

Confirmed via Twitter the next release is 10/14. Apparently, the 9/30 release didn't happen due to some "new features" that will be released with this schedule release. B6's version of Basic Economy perhaps?

HepperSchepp

Maybe do to the e-mail that just came out?
Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE) will become our newest BlueCity in early 2019, with nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale (FLL), subject to receipt of government operating authority.

We'll also be adding new routes between the following cities:

• Boston (BOS) and Rochester, NY (ROC)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Phoenix (PHX)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and St. Maarten (SXM)
• Providence, RI (PVD) and West Palm Beach (PBI)

And, we're increasing the frequency of service on more than two dozen routes going in and out of New York (JFK), Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Hartford and Westchester County. Check out the full liston our blog.

We always strive to provide the best service and schedules for our customers so, while adding new routes, we're also scaling back on others to better meet customer demand.

Starting 1/8/19, we will no longer serve Washington-Dulles (IAD), Daytona Beach (DAB) and St. Croix (STX).

In addition, we'll no longer offer nonstop service between the following cities:

• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Detroit (DTW)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Baltimore (BWI)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Long Beach (LGB)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Pittsburgh (PIT)
• San Juan (SJU) and Santiago (STI)
• Orlando (MCO) and Baltimore (BWI)

And, starting 1/8/19, Portland, ME (PWM) will become a seasonal route, with service resuming in May 2019.

EBiafore99

Yeah, just saw the press release. Bummer because with DTW-FLL gone, I think my options to BGI are non-existent on B6.

beyondhere

Some of these cuts are likely a result of too much low fare pressure from Spirit. Likely impacted are MCO-BWI and FLL-BWI/DTW/PIT. I wonder if NK would throw a wrench and add FLL-PHX and time it similarly (likely a red-eye eastbound). On the other hand, B6 is increasing at BDL, which just got Spirit although BDL is likely a market it's performing well.

B6 is still keeping CLE-FLL, and in my market, PHL-FLL (which has low fare pressure). For a DTW based customer, one might be able to still make it work if one can drive down to CLE the night before and stay at an airport hotel, and fly on CLE-FLL morning flight to connect at FLL.

RWPrincess

This is not good news for folks who live in the DC area or who travel there via plane. I hope they reconsider IAD at some point in the near future or at least add some more frequency to DCA. People who live in NYC basically can't fly JetBlue to DC and vice versa. Not everyone wants to take Amtrak. I have a number of crewmember friends whom I've been communicating with today and they were all stunned about IAD going away. A couple of them regularly worked those flights.

EBiafore99

You make a good point about NK. And DL has four to six flights to FLL depending on the season.

I also think one problem with DTW-FLL is the connection options from FLL were very limited. While B6 has a lot of Caribbean destinations from FLL, the flight to/from DTW was poorly timed. For example, to go to BGI, we can only return on a Sunday through BOS because the BGI-FLL does not arrive in time to catch the FLL-DTW. This is the case with many of the Caribbean destinations. If you use B6's map feature, a lot of the Caribbean destinations cannot be reached from DTW.

The release mentioned more frequencies to the Caribbean from BOS, so maybe we can connect in BOS both ways. Fingers crossed.

sbm12

Not that surprising IMO. JetBlue (or any airline, but especially a smaller one) is never going to be all things to all customers. And the IAD routes bring far lower yields than DCA service. That IAD was still around was a function of lower costs, not real demand. Given rising fuel and labor costs the low-performing routes are going to die. That means IAD DAB and STX all disappear. The leisure/connecting routes to FLL with high competition are gone.

Refocusing on the East Coast is what the company has been saying for a while now, including at the investor briefing last week. These changes are the manifestation of that plan.

Links to a couple more details analysis pieces I've written about the changes.