JetBlue To Add 30 New Routes Before October To Get More Planes Back In The Air

JetBlue Airways announced plans to add 30 new routes before October for customers in places where leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel is showing some signs of recovery.

The low cost airline said in a statement that the new routes are expected to give it the opportunity to generate revenue, bring idling aircraft back into service, and add more flying opportunities for JetBlue crew members.

JetBlue's head of revenue and planning Scott Laurence said in the statement: “Coronavirus has transformed airline route maps, and as we begin to see small signs of recovery, we continue to be flexible with our network plans to respond to demand trends and generate cash in support of our business. We've selected routes where customers are showing some interest in travel again and where our low fares and award-winning experience will be noticed.”

The New York City-based airline has a fleet of 264 aircraft, most of which were sitting idle following the travel restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline plans to add the routes in competitor hubs where it currently has a small presence, like in Newark, which is currently dominated by United Airlines, and Philadelphia, where the market leader is American Airlines; it will also add flights from New York's JFK to competitor hubs in Minneapolis, Dallas/Fort Worth and Detroit and from large- and medium-sized U.S. cities, like Chicago, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, where it currently does not have a strong brand presence; and it will target destinations where the weather is warm, like Florida, to take advantage of summer travel.

The travel and tourism industry has been among the most severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. government halted almost all international travel in March and domestic travel largely came to halt following the lockdowns imposed to slow the virus' spread. JetBlue's first quarter 2020 revenue declined 15.1% as a result of a 52% decline in March revenue owing to the impact of COVID-19.

With passenger travel witnessing some signs of growth, and following relaxation of some coronavirus restrictions, airlines have restarted domestic flights in the U.S. Air travel is expected to pick up during the summer holiday season.