JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) has announced that it will focus on developing Los Angeles International as its sole West Coast base and will transfer all aircraft and crew currently based out of Long Beach to the larger airport.
The carrier said that it would terminate all operations from Long Beach on October 6. As of October 7, it will launch flights from Los Angeles to Austin-Bergstrom International, Las Vegas Harry Reid, Reno/Tahoe, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle Tacoma International, as well as seasonally to Bozeman. The only route from Long Beach which will not be transferred to Los Angeles will be Portland International.
Currently, JetBlue connects Los Angeles with Boston, Buffalo Niagara International, Fort Lauderdale International, New York JFK, and Orlando International. The airline plans to launch a new service to New York Newark, operated including its premium Mint cabin, on July 23.
JetBlue said that it would continue to serve Ontario International and Burbank in the Greater Los Angeles metro area following the closure of its Long Beach operations.
JetBlue's departure from Long Beach will be a significant capacity hit for the airport. According to the ch-aviation capacities module, JetBlue accounts for 15,600 scheduled departure seats out of Long Beach in the week starting October 19, 2020, which amounts to 42.7% of the total scheduled capacity out of the airport. Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field) has a comparable presence at Long Beach, and the airport is also served by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines.
JetBlue added that it intends to further develop its network out of Los Angeles in the future, increasing the currently more than 30 daily departures to around 70 by 2025.
