JetBlue

JetBlue Cuts Service at Long Beach Airport, Adds Flights in Burbank

The adjustments in Long Beach service were being made "to better meet the needs of the market."

JetBlue Airways announced Wednesday it will be reducing its service from Long Beach Airport, trimming a dozen flights from its schedule yet adding service to Colorado and Montana, while boosting its service at Hollywood Burbank Airport.

According to JetBlue, the adjustments in Long Beach service were being made "to better meet the needs of the market."

The airline will offer 23 daily flights at the airport, down from its current 35, reducing the airline's service to 2016 levels. Marty St. George, the airline's vice president of commercial and planning, said the revisions will allow Jetblue "to offer customers new destinations, capitalize on our leadership position in transcontinental flying and advance our margin commitments in Long Beach where certain flying constraints have created challenges."

In 2017, the city of Long Beach rejected the proposed construction of a customs facility at the airport that would have opened the door for international flights.

While reducing the overall number of flights, JetBlue announced it was adding service from Long Beach to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Bozeman, Montana.

Long Beach officials said the airline's changes did not come as a surprise, and said other carriers are already lined up hoping to fill the flight slots being vacated by JetBlue.

"We see this is an opportunity to create a better balance among the air carriers serving Long Beach Airport and one that will maintain our existing service, and in fact will likely lead to new markets in the very near future," Airport Director Jess Romo said.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia hailed the city's "long partnership with JetBlue."

"Despite their changes in service, the future looks great for the airport," he said. "We have strong interest to fill those slots from multiple carriers."

JetBlue also announced that it will be adding service between Boston and Hollywood Burbank Airport, beginning Sept. 5. It will also add a second daily flight to and from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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