JetBlue has cut or suspended a further nine routes based on its schedule filing over the weekend. It follows the removal of 27 routes last month, with more since materializing.

Seven of the nine routes (78%) started after the pandemic struck, including the two that have been cut. It gives some weight to what the carrier's CEO said last year when he suggested that "we've expanded a lot, and a lot of routes won't stick around." Newer routes tend to be non-core and therefore less important.

To help avoid further flight disruptions and cancelations, JetBlue is removing up to 10% of flights this summer. While pruning its network, there will also be a large number of frequency reductions. Like most other airlines, it suffers from surging demand but staff shortages. However, flagship international routes Boston to London Heathrow and Gatwick are going ahead.

Newark and Florida have seen multiple cuts and changes in the past few weeks. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

Seven postponements, two cuts

The following routes were all expected to operate through this summer. All but two still will, but far later than anticipated. That includes two summer-seasonal routes from Newark to Cape Cod, introduced in July last year. They'll now miss the July-August peak.

JetBlue has ended also New York JFK to Boise and Kalispell, which means the carrier no longer serves the two cities at all. According to T-100 data for Q3 2021, Boise achieved a seat load factor of 61.6% and Kalispell 51.5%. They were, of course, brand-new; the high fuel price also did not help these long, thin routes.

Boise has lost its only non-stop to New York City-area airports. Kalispell, meanwhile, still has American Airlines' Saturday-only service from LaGuardia. Here's the rundown on all the changes:

1. Boston to Port-au-Prince; last operated on March 29th; resumes on September 10th at 1x weekly, then 2x from November 2nd (began June 2015)
2. Los Angeles to Richmond; last operated on October 30th; restarts on August 1st with 4x weekly (December 2020)
3. Miami to Hartford; operates until May 31st, then returns 5x weekly from September 8th (June 2021)
4. Newark to Aguadilla; last operated on January 2nd; resumes on September 8th at 4x weekly (July 2021)
5. Newark to Martha’s Vineyard; last operated on October 11th; returns on September 9th at 3x weekly (July 2021)
6. Newark to Nantucket; last operated on October 12th; resumes on September 8th at 5x weekly (June 2021)
7. New York JFK to Boise; last operated on September 6th; now cut (July 2021)
8. New York JFK to Kalispell; last served on September 7th; now cut (July 2021)
9. West Palm Beach to Providence; operates until May 30th, then resumes 1x daily from September 7th (February 2019)

JetBlue's latest route cuts (red) and postponements (orange). Image: GCMap.

Spare a thought for Newark

While JetBlue has served the New Jersey airport since October 2005, it wasn't until 2021 that it really expanded, aided by tourists and visiting friends and relatives demand.

Cirium shows that seats nearly doubled from 2.8 million in 2019 to 5.0 million, with Newark becoming its fourth-busiest airport, up two places. JetBlue's Newark network grew from 10 routes in 2019 to a whopping 42 in 2021.

Last week, JetBlue expected 4,425,411 Newark seats in 2022. It has cut 235,000 in a week and now plans 4,190,365. Of course, it may change again. Source of data: Cirium.

Many changes at Newark

Aguadilla, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket are all postponed until later this summer. As previously shown, Atlanta, Austin, Charleston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Raleigh, Durham, and San Diego have been postponed too.

In addition, Antigua, Barbados, Cartagena, Port-au-Prince, and St Thomas have been cut. Not surprisingly, all but Barbados started last year. Elsewhere, Miami, Tampa, and West Palm Beach are now 1x daily, down from 2x, but they'll return to 2x daily in September.

What are your views on the changes? Let us know by commenting.

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James Pearson (777 Articles Published)

Route Development Analyst - James lives and breathes route development. Educated in Air Transport Management at Loughborough and Cranfield, James was Market Opportunity Analyst at London Luton Airport and Chief Analyst at anna.aero. Now writing data-driven analysis for Simple Flying. Based near London, UK.

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