The New York-based low-cost airline JetBlue Airways announced this week that it will start flying to London from Kennedy International Airport and Boston Logan International starting in 2021. The company’s CEO, Robin Hayes states this is due to growing demand from the company’s passengers, requesting the routes.
The new route could be a challenge for JetBlue, as the trans-Atlantic route is already very competitive amongst the three largest airlines in the United States; American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, with multiple flights every day between London and the East Coast in the U.S.
Besides the American flight carriers, there’s also two British carriers and Norwegian Air competing for the passengers on the route.
“This is not going to be an easy win for JetBlue,” Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atomosphere Research Group stated about the announcement. “The big airlines especially are going to bring flamethrowers to a game of rock-paper-scissors.”
Harteveldt says he expects the airlines currently flying the route will be competing strongly with JetBlue on the prices. Additionally, some of the more established airlines will have an advantage, as they have more capacity than JetBlue, he said.
JetBlue states they are confident with the expected success of the route. The airline stated they will bring lower prices to the route as well:
“We have a very strong customer base in both New York and Boston and we get asked about this a lot,” Mr. Hayes said. “We think we can offer lower fares and stimulate additional demand.”
JetBlue declined to discuss the prices of the fares yet, however the air carrier stated they are planning to have multiple flights per day on the upcoming route.