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NEW YORK, July 12, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- JetBlue Airways (NasdaqNM:JBLU - News) today announced new daily service to Phoenix, AZ from New York's John F. Kennedy International airport. Phoenix will become JetBlue's 29th destination when the carrier commences service on October 1, 2004.
JetBlue will offer an introductory sale fare between JFK and Phoenix of $99* one way, and $119* one way between Phoenix and Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, NY, and Burlington, VT, when booked at JetBlue's website, http://www.jetblue.com. The sale fares, which require a 14-day advance purchase, must be purchased by July 29, 2004 and are valid for travel from October 1 through December 15, 2004. This sale fare is not valid from November 23 through November 29. For an additional $3 each way, these sale fares can also be booked by calling 1-800-JETBLUE. Seats are limited and customers are encouraged to book early.

``The city of Phoenix is currently celebrating its 75th year of providing world-class hospitality to its guests,'' said David Neeleman, JetBlue's CEO. ``We're very excited that Arizona residents and Phoenix-bound customers will soon have the opportunity to experience JetBlue's award-winning customer service and hospitality as well as extra legroom and up to 24 channels of free DIRECTV(r) programming at every seat.''

``I applaud JetBlue's decision to give Arizonans greater choice and increased competition in air fares by adding the New York-Phoenix route to their schedule,'' said John McCain, United States Senator from Arizona. ``With JetBlue's history of low-fare travel, residents of Arizona will enjoy increased travel options to the Northeast and visitors from the New York area will have more incentive to visit the great state of Arizona.''

``I applaud JetBlue's decision to bring its air service to Arizona,'' said Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. ``Whether flying for business or leisure, New Yorkers and Arizonans now have another choice for air travel between each others' communities.''

``As Phoenix continues to grow, so does Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport,'' said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. ``With the fifth busiest airport in the world, and hub to two successful airlines, we are pleased to welcome JetBlue to Phoenix.''

The airline's regular one-way fares between JFK and Phoenix will range from $136* to $296* one way if booked via http://www.jetblue.com. For an additional $3 each way, fares can also be booked by calling 1-800-JETBLUE.

JetBlue's flight schedules will be:


New York (JFK) to Phoenix (PHX) Phoenix to New York
Depart -- Arrive Depart -- Arrive
9:25pm -- 11:45pm (eff. 10/1/04) 12:45am -- 8:20am (eff. 10/2/04)

kdinino

doesnt seem like they expect much out of this yet w/ those flight times....the 945 pm from jfk is intriguing but ugh on the red-eyes....wish they would make a full-fledged effort....i know america west earns their keep on this route but I really think Jetblue could hurt them if they had a more frequent schedule...because the customer service, newer planes and IFE blow away america west...we shall see i guess...

Jumpgate

I agree. I don't quite get what jetBlue is trying to do here. The times and frequency aren't great, plus there's already CRAZY competition on the PHX - NYC/N. England route from both Southwest and America West.

B6 does have money. They could try to undercut AWA and build a customer base ..... but with only one destination and no west-coast access from Phoenix, it wouldn't be very smart of Phoenicians to become loyal to jetBlue.

alidina

Jetblue wants to get the most use out of their planes. There isn't much demand for florida flights at 2 or 3am, so they send them out west for redeyes.

If customer demand grows they will probably add more.

ByrdluvsAWACO

Don't forget AA runs this route as well.

Undercutting HP in price would be very hard for B6. HP's costs are among the lowest(outside of fuel), and adding more capacity is well within their means.

Yes, given the useless nature of TrueBlue, a PHX based flyer would be wasting miles flying on B6.

Paulo

QUOTE=ByrdluvsAWACO]
Undercutting HP in price would be very hard for B6. HP's costs are among the lowest(outside of fuel), and adding more capacity is well within their means.
[QUOTE]

Please - lowest of the majors, but B6 still has lower costs by 20% (based on Q1 2004 CASM), not to mention a level of NY area loyalty that HP most CERTAINLY does not have!

Other than a reasonably priced F class (which for me, at least, was more valuable when they were still a CO partner), I can't think what they really have going for them over B6.

Jeffeywol

As an HP employee, I will give my 2 cents about B6 serve to PHX. HP management will not lose any sleep over over B6's 1 daily flight to PHX. This does mean HP will be keeping alert. If B6 starts adding more PHX-JFK frequency or starts PHX-BOS, or IAD then HP will start using its torches. When B6 starts its daily flight in Oct, they will have to go up against HP's 3 daily nonstop from PHX. HP also has 3 or 4 daily flights into nearby EWR (CO also has 4 daily PHX-EWR nonstops). B6 service is a red-eye. It has been my experince its harder to fill seats on red-eyes. Then again money talks and seats start to fill up when fares are $99 one way. B6 will have to rely on local PHX area to fill their seats. HP is not so much dependent on local feed as over half of their passengers on the phx-jfk route are connecting passengers. As another person stated on an earlier post, B6 does have a strong NY base which will be a strength for them. However, I hope they know what territory thier getting into. PHX is a haven for LCC. WN also has huge presence in PHX. HP also competes heavily with Frontier and United's TED Denver market. Oh yeah, there is also ATA. Let's not forget that B6 pulled out of ATL. They tried ATL-OAK, ATL-JFK, and I think ATL-LGB but with FL having their own flights from ATL and Delta retaliating it didn't work for B6. Don't expect B6 to do any short hops like PHX-OAK, or PHX-LGB. HP and WN pretty much have control on these markets making it difficult for other carriers to compete. B6 tried LGB-LAS but that didn't work for them. Anyways, I wish B6 best of luck in PHX. Its always good to have healthy competition.

Jumpgate

B6 still has LGB - LAS and it's working just fine for them, as is LGB - OAK.

I know that it's major disadvantage is its limited offerings when it comes to time and frequency, but B6 truly is a better product than HP -- especially for leisure travelers. The seats are wider, the planes (I know there are exceptions to this) are newer, and the IFE is unbeatable. TrueBlue sucks, I admit, and FlightFund is hands down superior, but for leisure travelers the FF program is not as important.

B6 is going to try to do what it does whenever it moves into a new market. It will start with a limited flight, and allow its reputation to pique peoples' interest. Once they fly it, they'll feel like a slave on a Roman ship with oars if they ever go back to HP or even worse, WN.

B6 will not be able to grow in the PHX market quickly, but I think they can successfully set themselves up for a steady climb.

The exception to that rule, as you pointed out, is of course Atlanta. B6 pulled out due to what they was was "irrational" competition. Pretty much, Airtran and Delta took huge losses on their ATL - SFO/OAK and ATL - Los Angeles routes for the sake of getting JetBlue out of there. It worked.

I think that instead of HP sitting around and seeing what happens, they (along with AA and CO) should do what Delta and Airtran did and act now.

Otherwise, Phoenicians are going to get the JetBlue fever and it'll be too late.

Just my two cents.

enjoystravel

Adding PHX is not as much about competing with HP but of rounding out NYC offerings. If you are an NYC area customer and get used to B6 for flts to FL and CA, you will naturally consider B6 for other destinations. Even a single flt a day will not deter loyal customers who love B6 service, seat pitch (after row 10), IFE, etc.

I do not see B6 using PHX as a focus city and competing with HP or WN - it is more a question of filling the gaps and better utilization of aircraft. Everytime they get new planes and deploy them on short haul routes they need complementary long haul routes. Note that the routes to the carribean are also at night from JFK - to better utilize the aircraft.

HP cannot easily take on B6 - their stock holders expect them to provide profits and not just market share. HP took on the majors with its transcon flts and revamped fafre structure. I am not sure it is ready for another bruising fight the way AirTran and Delta fought out of ATL.

rec

Does anyone know which terminal in PHX they plan to use?


>> Found my answer! Looks like they will be going into T-3.

Jerseyguy

On my trip from JFK-BUF back in may, which I took because it was the cheapest flight at the last minute, I fell in love with B6's 34" seat pitch (aft row 10) and IFE. When I needed to go to SLC, I took Jetblue even though they only had 1 flight each way from JFK to SLC both night flights

Tino

the rats are scurrying!

American Will Discontinue JFK-Long Beach and JFK-Phoenix Service, Effective Nov. 1

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041004/dam044_1.html

toadman

JetBlue is just taking its sweet time entering new markets. They can't really expand in LGB since that has limited slots and they are all filled btwn AS, AA, HP and B6. B6 may want to start looking at LAX for added presence on the West Coast or even look at SAN. B6 has saturated the NYC to Florida routes as well as intra New York and it would make sense for them to start looking at other East Coast routings out of LGA. JetBlue does seem to have a lot of red eye trans cons though.

ByrdluvsAWACO

LAX is already tight. The existing airlines are already battling for gates.

B6 can forget about anything in T4-T8. AS and F9 are in a battle for gates in T3 so they'll consume any gates that become available. T2 is full of mostly intl airlines.

T1 is the home of HP, US, and WN. LAX is HP's newest focus city. They are pushing to get the gates/ticket counter/lounge US vacates when they move in with UA or liquidate. HP and US already share two of US' gates.

SAN is pretty tight as well. AA owns many of the gates in the older half of T2. HP,CO,and DL take up six of the nine gates in the newer half. With B6, F9, and Sun Country owning one gate each. HP is building a larger presence in SAN(SAN-Cabo starting in Dec) so they'll be gate hunting soon.

The only room in SAN will come if US pulls out of T1. Even then They'll have to battle UA, AS, and WN for them.



Please! So you think B6 announces a route that hasn't flown yet and AA just drops out. You B6 fans drink way too much blue Kool-Aid. AA started JFK-PHX as a tactic to scare HP out of the transcons. Obviously, it didn't work and AA came to realize that they can't compete with HP on this route.

B6 is starting this route at a tricky time. HP will be receiving 5 A320's early next year, 5-9 later in 2005, and the remaining planes in 2006. They also have options on 15 A319/320 delivery positions. They'll be in a position to add more pricing pressure to this route if needed.

Carfield

Well I don't think B6 is trying to invade the HP/SW land... none of these airlines should feel very threatened. They are just trying to increase their fleet utilization. These late/red eye flights help increase fleet utlization rate, as well as increase profits. However, if the flights do well, I can see B6 adding another daytime flight. But I don't think PHX is a focus market now... I can see PHX-BOS/FLL in the future...

Walked by B6 counters the other day... it is using terminal three and the set up was pretty impressive with 3-4 IBM machines, so I think B6 is there for long-term. It is next to Midwest... for those who cares, it is using gate 9 at T-3 as well.

But if given a choice of flying HP or B6 on this route, I will pick B6 just because of Direct TVs and good legroom. But the redeye is a turnoff though. Well we will have to wait and see... don't get too excited!

Carfield

I am on the flight to San Francisco
Here I go, on my way, and I think I’ll be Okay
Los Angeles, Anchorage, Montreal, Toronto
And here I go, I think everything will be okay
Los Angeles, Anchorage, Montreal, and then who knows
I’ll take my chances from San Francisco – “CL 411”