Chris Kjelgaard

JetBlue Airways has confirmed it is due to take delivery in 2021 of all 13 of the Airbus A321LRs it will use for its first transatlantic scheduled services&nbsp;and expresses confidence that by the time it begins receiving the aircraft JetBlue will have obtained the ETOPS certification it will require to operate them on nonstop transatlantic flights.

 


The New York-based airline announced April 10 that it would launch transatlantic scheduled service for the first time in 2021 using 13 A321LRs it had newly specified from within its existing order with Airbus for 85 A321neos. The routes will link its “focus city” hubs at Boston Logan International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with one or more as-yet unspecified airports serving London.

 


Responding to financial analysts’ questions during JetBlue’s 2019 first-quarter earnings conference call on April 23, JetBlue&nbsp;CEO Robin Hayes said that in preparing for transatlantic service, “the item on the critical path before [the 13 A321LRs are delivered is achieving] the ability to fly ETOPS [routes]," by obtaining ETOPS certification.

 


Hayes said JetBlue already has a team of executives working on its ETOPS certification planning and that all the managers involved have had previous experience working on ETOPS certification programs at other carriers. “We’re very confident we will be able to hit those [2021] timelines,” he said. In parallel, work on “the [in-flight service] product, schedule, and working through all the different London airports we’re looking at is all in hand,” Hayes added.

 


During the conference call, Hayes described London as “the biggest metropolitan area we don’t serve” from JetBlue’s main hubs and said the decision to launch service to the UK capital was “really about making our focus cities in Boston and New York more relevant.” He characterized the move into transatlantic service as “developing mature focus city markets” rather than just adding more destinations to JetBlue’s network, and added, “The investment community should be pleased about that.”

 


JetBlue executives did not discuss during the call the planned service frequency for serving&nbsp;London from Boston and New York. However, its order for 13 aircraft&nbsp;suggests the airline is contemplating up to six-times-daily service on each route. In addition, JetBlue may hold the 13th aircraft as a spare to cover for unexpected delays or cancellations affecting its transatlantic flights. The airline plans to&nbsp;offer a business class-intensive service on two routes each with sector block times of eight to nine hours in each direction at the A321LR’s relatively slow cruise&nbsp;speeds.

 


JetBlue confirmed it will take delivery of its first A321neo in the current quarter and now expects this year to receive at least six A321neos, all of them configured with “HD” economy class-dominated cabins rather than its “Mint” cabins, which are primarily configured with business-class and premium economy seating for serving U.S. transcontinental routes. The carrier originally was due to receive 13 A321neos this year but cited delivery delays affecting the A320neo-family program as the reason for its amended 2019 delivery assumptions. However, the carrier still expects to receive by the end of 2024 all 85 A321neos and A321LRs it has on order.

 


Steve Priest, JetBlue’s chief financial officer, confirmed during the call that the airline will receive the first of the 60 Airbus A220s it has ordered at “the back end of 2020” and will take delivery of only one A220 that year. JetBlue expects to receive six A220s in 2021, eight in 2022, 19 in 2023, 22 in 2024, and four in 2025.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

JetBlue’s Transatlantic A321LR Fleet To Be Delivered in 2021

JetBlue is confident it will obtain ETOPS certification by the time its A321LRs are delivered.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Howard Hardee

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

More In Airlines

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

ATR Chases New Regional Markets for Twin Turboprops

Iran war and wider geopolitical pressure stall buying decisions

Embraer Racks Up E-Jet Orders at Farnborough

30 firm orders led by Abra

Gulf Air May Buy JetZero’s Blended-wing-body Z4

Japan Airlines also expresses interest at Farnborough Airshow

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN