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JetBlue is reducing service to the New York area this fall as it shifts flights to South Florida.
The carrier will close its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and its technical operations bases at both Newark and LaGuardia airports, JetBlue confirmed to FOX Business. The airline said no employees will lose their jobs as a result of the closure.
“With the latest schedule changes, we are making the necessary track adjustments to support our move forward,” the company said. “… Employees will be able to bid or switch to other bases, and no employees will lose their jobs as a result of this closure.”
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A JetBlue Airbus A320 lands at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ (Al Drago/Getty Images, File / Getty Images)
JetBlue also said it was ending seasonal service between Newark and Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
At the same time, the airline is expanding at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where it is adding more Mint flights, JetBlue’s premium cabin service, on the West Coast.
“This growth includes new and additional Mint flights from Fort Lauderdale to the West Coast as we expand in South Florida following Spirit’s exit from the market,” the company said.
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JetBlue planes are seen at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NY (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File/Getty Images)
JetBlue, headquartered in Long Island City, New York, said it sees a “significant opportunity” to grow in Fort Lauderdale, where it says customers “know and love the JetBlue experience.”
JetBlue President Marty St. George and Chief Operating Officer Warren Christie told employees that the airline needed to move quickly as competitors changed their routes, according to CNBC.
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBLU | Company JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP. | 5.68 | +0.55 |
+ 10.72% |
“We operate in a rapidly changing environment where competitors are constantly adding, dropping and changing flights in response to market conditions,” management said in a letter to employees. “We must move quickly, enter markets where we see opportunities and exit those that no longer support our long-term goals. Standing still while our competitors move is not an option.”
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Travelers check their bags at the JetBlue Airways counter at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images, File / Getty Images)
JetBlue, already the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, plans to add new Mint service from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego starting Nov. 19, along with other Mint flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco this winter, CNBC reported.
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Last month, JetBlue said it would drop 11 routes this summer, including all service from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire, as it focuses more on Florida, according to Business Insider.
