JetBlue eyes 150 daily flights at Logan, expansion to Worcester, Providence
Boston Business Journal by Eric Convey
Date: Thursday, September 22, 2011, 2:28pm EDT - Last Modified: Thursday, September 22, 2011, 3:01pm EDT
JetBlue Airways Corp. (Nasdaq: JBLU) executives would like to increase flights to or from Logan International Airport to 150 per day from the current 100 and are "really optimistic" the airline will be given all of Terminal C to accommodate expansion, CEO David Barger said Thursday.
The decision rests with Massport, the agency that runs Logan.
"What's really important is the ability to have continuous gates," Barger said. Declining to give a specific timeline, he said the airline would like a decision "sooner rather than later." Changes could be made after the busy holiday travel season, he said.
Barger also suggested JetBlue is eager to add service to T.F. Green airport outside Providence, R.I. "We're really impressed with what we see with the infrastructure with Providence," he said.
And JetBlue will consider adding service to Worcester following a request from Massport officials, he said.
"Massport has put Worcester on our radar screens," he said, adding: "It's something that we certainly would entertain."
Barger made his remarks to the Boston College Chief Executives Club of Boston.
Asked after his address whether the Obama administration's focus on high-speed rail would hurt JetBlue, Barger said better rail service between cities like Boston and New York, both of which are important to the airline, actually would be beneficial.
The airspace around New York is full, Barger said, with too much of it "wasted" on planes carrying only a few dozen passengers. "I think high-speed rail would be very, very helpful."
Barger also repeated a call he has made before for modernization of the nation's air traffic control system.
Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
4 months ago
9 comments:
Sweet - After Virgin, JetBlue is the best airline to fly. Big seats and TV's.
Gonna be some much better than fighting Boston traffic and tolls!
Hopefully, destinations available across the country - not just east coast.
Gotta imagine a quick JFK-ORH flight, then JFK -> Las Vegas, LA, LongBeach, etc, etc.
The Chamber should set up a travel bank and ask people to make CASH commitments to make sure this happens.
Love to see a couple flights per day to JFK where you then could connect to anywhere. Or maybe some direct flights to a couple Florida destinations.
All of a sudden, I have a strange craving for blue potato chips !!!
Harry T
Worcester,MA
Paulie will be lobbying for an ORH to New Orleans route... nonstop!
Harry T
Worcester,MA
Oldie...but a goodie! Visions of things to come...
http://worcesterma.blogspot.com/2008/02/jetblue-at-orh.html
Harry T
Worcester,MA
Congrats Bill, you have been pushing for this I'd say at Least 3+ years.
Harry, so WTH is Paulie anyway? Must be breaking bread with with Azel Drake or working on his Irish Pub ?????
One of my issues with this is that JB is being asked ......cajoled....nudged......pushed to come to Worc. This not unlike the 70's and 60's when the airport was hopping when comm. carriers were mandated to serve smaller airports like Worc.
Help me please with my understanding of JB. It certainly will help Worc and lets hope if it happens that JB fills up their planes which I believe are going to be smaller jets meant to connect smaller airports to larger ones. That said, I have to think the market for connector flights is limited vs. the greater Worc area market for non stop destinations on full size comm. jets. If I am starting out from some Metrowest town....even just Shrewsbury....other airports might serve me better given the stop over and transfer times can be a PIA and a detraction.
After 15 months of stewardship, lets hope MP can bring even more than JB to ORH, but it's a good start.
Jahn
You are right they are being pushed to ORH. That is why we wanted MASSPORT to take ownership.
Now it is up to people in Central Mass to support it.
Bill
Am heading to nola.via jetblue in a few weeks....courtesy of american express:)
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