Jbu Delays Lga Service

[skycruiser]

I am curious to the reason behind the delay.

Reuters
UPDATE - JetBlue's LaGuardia service start delayed
Thursday March 25, 7:25 pm ET
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040325/airlines_je...blue_jfk_3.html

NEW YORK, March 25 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways Corp. (NasdaqNM:JBLU - News) on Thursday said it was expanding service this summer from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, as the start of service from New York's LaGuardia Airport has been delayed.

The low-cost carrier said service from New York's LaGuardia Airport would begin in late summer, rather than the spring as previously intended, because of "facilities issues" to be resolved with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Rapidly growing four-year-old JetBlue earlier this year requested 10 slots at LaGuardia, which it characterized as a "token presence", while it discussed building new terminals at JFK, where is carries more passengers than any other airline.

A JetBlue spokesman did not immediately return a phone call seeking further information.

The New York-based airline said it would add new flights from JFK to Denver, New Orleans, Buffalo and Rochester this summer. It plans to operate 35 percent more flights than last summer.

JetBlue expects to add 12 new 156-seat Airbus A320 narrow-body jets this year to its all-Airbus fleet of 57 aircraft and has ordered 100 Embraer 190 aircraft, which seat about 100 passengers each, for delivery beginning in mid-2005.

 

[B6Busdriver]

Probably delayed due to gate issues. Lack there of might be a better term.

 

[FWAAA]

I'm guessing that no one will rent B6 any gate space. No gates, no place to park the planes. It's not like LGA is empty (It ain't STL). B)

The Port Authority can probably force some gate space, but that will take some time.

 

[coolflyingfool]

I once went into LGA on AWA and we had to wait for 45 minutes for our gate. AWA was leasing space but whimever had the gate had primary use of it. LGA is one airport that could use some landfill on the river to increase space. Maybe B6 is figuring out hot to float their ramp and gate space.

 

[ua767fo]

Probably delayed due to gate issues. Lack there of might be a better term.

Its not an issue of gate space, the issue is that LGA is a slot controlled airport, and right now, there are no slots available. And even Chuck Schumer doesnt have the clout to cook up slots for B6.

DENVER,CO

Ps....it wouldnt suprise me to see AAA sell B6 slots.

 

[coolflyingfool]

I thought that B6 was already awarded the slots. I could eb wrong, but I thought that were given enough slots for 11 flights a day, or there abouts.

 

[PLANES333]

Its not an issue of gate space, the issue is that LGA is a slot controlled airport, and right now, there are no slots available. And even Chuck Schumer doesnt have the clout to cook up slots for B6.

DENVER,CO

Ps....it wouldnt suprise me to see AAA sell B6 slots.

Jetblue already has the slots. They have 14, but 4 of the slots mus be used before 6 am or after 9 pm, so initially they will use 10. The issue is gate space. Jetblue had originally worked out a deal to share gates with air canada, but they could not work out a contract that suited both of their schedules. I believe that Jetblue is now working on trying ot get a gate in the US Airways terminal. We will see how that works out.

 

[ua767fo]

Jetblue already has the slots. They have 14, but 4 of the slots mus be used before 6 am or after 9 pm, so initially they will use 10. The issue is gate space.

I'll stand corrected. From whom did they purchase the slots??

Thanks, fly safely

DENVER,CO

 

[FWAAA]

Jetblue already has the slots. They have 14, but 4 of the slots mus be used before 6 am or after 9 pm, so initially they will use 10. The issue is gate space.

I'll stand corrected. From whom did they purchase the slots??

B6 didn't purchase the slots, they applied for exemption slots from the FAA/DOT as a carrier that had no access to LGA and the slots were awarded to B6. B)

 

[JS]

After 9 PM, there's gobs of space in the US Airways terminal. The place is more like a 9-5 office than an airport.

What's with the "before 6 AM"? You can't take off before 6 AM at all because the tax consumers, who never fly I might add, complain it is not fair.

 

[downline7]

Looks like LGA service will start in September ... possible announcements about other Florida service as well ...

from the New York Times:

JetBlue to Announce Plans to Add LGA Service

JetBlue Is to Announce Plans to Add LaGuardia Service
By MICHELINE MAYNARD
Published: June 23, 2004

JetBlue Airways plans to begin service from LaGuardia Airport in September with seven daily flights to Fort Lauderdale, giving it operations at two of New York's three major airports.

The low-fare airline, which will announce the new flights Thursday, also said it will expand service to a number of Florida cities from Kennedy Airport, its primary hub.

The new flights, plus its expanded service, means JetBlue will have as many as 71 flights a day this winter between New York and Florida. The airline's chief executive, David Neeleman, joked that the new service in effect made Florida the city's "sixth borough."

Overall, the increase in service brings JetBlue's daily flights to 320 per day. The airline began flying in February 2000 with two trips a day between J.F.K. and Fort Lauderdale.

Service between LaGuardia and Fort Lauderdale begins September 17. Jet Blue plans introductory fares of $79 each way, good for travel through November 18. Tickets must be booked by July 8.

In addition, JetBlue is adding daily flights between J.F.K. and Orlando, Fort Myers, West Palm Beach and Tampa.

JetBlue is starting service at LaGuardia with only one gate, which it will share with Air Canada. Nonetheless, its service there marks a milestone for the four-year-old airline, one of the most consistently profitable and with some of the lowest costs in the industry.

JetBlue, which now flies Airbus A320 jets, will soon take delivery on the first of 100 Embraer regional jets. They seat 100 passengers, compared with about 150 for the Airbus but double the size of the typical regional jet.

The airline has options to buy 100 more Embraers, and has ordered another 30 Airbuses.

Analysts said the orders signal aggressive expansion plans at JetBlue, the nation's 10th-biggest airline.

In an interview today, Mr. Neeleman said there were two reasons the airline is launching service from LaGuardia: first, passengers have asked it to do so. Second, JetBlue wants to be in place at LaGuardia in case one of its competitors stumbles. "It's good to get a little toe in there if something happens," Mr. Neeleman said.

By that, he meant US Airways and Delta Airlines, both of which have a major presence at LaGuardia, US Airways with its hourly shuttle to Boston and Washington as well as other flights, and Delta with flights to Florida through its low-fare carrier, Song.

Both airlines are seeking wage and benefit concessions from their employees, with both warning they may have to seek Chapter 11 protection if they fail. In US Airways' case, that would be its second stint in bankruptcy.

In Delta's case, the airline is conducting a strategic review of its entire operations, including Song, which it started in 2003 in a bid to hang on to Florida-bound customers.

However, Delta has cut back on a planned expansion of Song flights from New York, and is trimming its schedules for the month of September, reflecting a drop in demand after summer vacation season.

Delta's Song has four flights per day between LaGuardia and Fort Lauderdale. A spokeswoman said the airline was not daunted by JetBlue's arrival at LaGuardia.

"Rumors of our demise are greatly exaggerated," said Meghan Glynn.

A spokesman for US Airways, David Castelveter, said, "It's clear by market activity that some carriers would like to see us gone and we're just not going to allow to happen.

LaGuardia has long been a key airport for business travelers, while Florida has traditionally been a leisure destination. But Kevin P. Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, said the new service would benefit JetBlue.

"JetBlue now has a beachhead" at LaGuardia, Mr. Mitchell said.

 

[flyhigh]

If the PA can force it then DL has plenty of extras in the Marine Air terminal...