airBaltic Plans a Bond Issue of €340 Million

The Latian flag carrier, airBaltic, leads the way as one of the nation's most known corporations on its path to an upcoming IPO.

Filip Kopeć

Monday, May 13, 2024 at 10:20 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

airBaltic Airbus A220-300 at Riga Airport (Photo: airBaltic)

Last week airBaltic reached an important milestone on the path towards its IPO. The carrier reported pricing a EUR 340 million (USD $367,113,300) issue of 14.50% 5.25-year (five years and three months) senior secured bonds.

An Important Step

The company proudly announced that the demand for the bond exceeded the supply, ramping up an order book of EUR 800 million (USD $862 million). More than 100 global institutional investors from over 20 countries across 3 continents will contribute to the final allocation. The bond will play a vital role in the company’s near future as mentioned by the CEO, Martin Gauss:

“The successful placement of this bond serves to refinance our previously issued 200 million euro bond, demonstrating the trust investors have in airBaltic’s strategy. This refinancing will substantially boost the company’s liquidity and financial stability allowing us to continue our investments in expanding and modernizing our fleet. This marks a historic milestone for our airline.”

The interest rate on airBaltic’s corporate bond grew substantially from 6.75% on the previous bond to 14.5% this time around. This is a result of the global increase in the cost of capital and the risk premium for the region. In 2019 the European Central Bank interest rates had been hovering at a near-zero level for a decade. The ECB’s main refinancing rate is currently 4.50%.

On top of that, the Russian invasion of Ukraine posed a major geopolitical risk to the region. airBaltic stopped operating to both of the nations which, before the war, were major air traffic demand centers for the carrier.

A History-Telling Chart

The valuation of the previous airBaltic bond tells a story of two crises the company went through in the past years.

airBaltic’s 2019 bond valuation at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Source: TradingView.com)

Back in 2019, the carrier had just gone through a major turnaround in the mid-2010s. It took a new vector by changing its fleet from a bouquet of narrowbody types to a single-type fleet focusing on the Bombardier CS300, now operating as the Airbus A220. The bond issue was set to accelerate airBaltic’s fleet expansion.

Soon enough the first headwind came with the pandemic resulting in the carrier suspending all the flights. International air transportation in Europe came to a halt and the Baltic states are too small of markets to offer the potential for domestic connectivity. With such a hard impact on the company’s business, valuation of the corporate bonds plummeted as bankruptcy probability rose.

airBaltic’s network in 2024 (Source: flightconnections.com)

The carrier has made a swift recovery. With the Latvian government’s backing, it was clear already in 2021 that the national carrier is bound for success in the post-pandemic landscape. Unfortunately for airBaltic, a big portion of its business was oriented East, towards Russia and Ukraine. The second blow spurred another wave of worries about the company’s future.

Filip Kopeć

A passionate aviation enthusiast that started off his career as an aerospace engineer, but found his true calling on the commercial side of the airline business. Now as a finance guy among avgeeks and an avgeek among finance guys, he has experience working in the Revenue Divisions of three airlines. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, but admittedly sometimes is more about the journey than the destination.

Delta Planning to Fly Premium-Heavy CRJ-550s

While Delta hasn't officially announced that it will operate the type, the carrier has since added the CRJ-550 to its website's fleet page

Joey Gerardi

Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 10:55 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta Connection CRJ-700 aircraft (Photo: Shutterstock)

Roughly two weeks ago, AirlineGeeks first reported that SkyWest plans to add the CRJ-550 to its fleet, transitioning 19 CRJ-700s from an expiring American contract. While Delta hasn’t officially announced that it will operate the type, the carrier has since added the CRJ-550 to its website’s fleet page, essentially taking the spot above the CRJ-700, right where the CRJ-200 used to sit.

The Atlanta-based airline has also added a seat map of the CRJ-550 to its website, whichis in the same configuration as United’s with 10 first class seats, 20 premium economy seats branded as Comfort+, and 20 economy seats. The CRJ-550 is essentially a CRJ-700 body, with modifications made on the interior to only hold 50 seats.

Delta’s CRJ-550 seat map (Photo: Delta.com)

According to various Essential Air Service (EAS) documents, the CRJ-550 has the option to take the place of the CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 on EAS flights that SkyWest used to operate on the 50-seat CRJ-200.

But, that brings an interesting question into play, the CRJ-550 was introduced by GoJet and United to provide more premium seats on shorter flights that have higher premium traffic but not necessarily enough overall demand to support a larger mainline aircraft with a lot more seats in all cabins. A majority of the initial cities Delta’s CRJ-550 will likely be operating in will be the government-funded EAS communities with relatively low premium seat demand compared to other markets.

EAS contracts and proposed subsidies that the airlines submit are calculated based on the average fare, expected revenue, profit margins, how many seats they estimate will be filled, along with many other accounting factors. The CRJ-200 that SkyWest operated was entirely economy class for all 50 seats, but now with the CRJ-550, over half of the seats in the cabin will be in a class above economy, with 20% of the cabin now being first-class seats.

A Delta CRJ-200 in Iron Mountain (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

This could theoretically make future EAS subsidies much higher, as the average fare of the entire cabin will now be much higher with first class and premium economy seats thrown into the mix.However, with the initial Delta CRJ-550 routes yet to be announced, one can only guess what effect this will have on small communities around the country, as well as the regional jet market as a whole.

Editor’s Note: A spokesperson from SkyWest confirmed on Monday that the airline is operating the CRJ-550 under the Delta Connection brand.

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

American Adds New Los Angeles Route

According to a recent Cirium Diio schedule update, the Fort Worth-based airline will add service between LAX and Flagstaff Pulliam Airport in Arizona.

Ryan Ewing

Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 03:35 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American Eagle CRJ-700 aircraft operated by SkyWest. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American is adding a route from its Los Angeles hub. According to a recent Cirium Diio schedule update, the Fort Worth-based airline will add service between LAX and Flagstaff Pulliam Airport in Arizona.

Flights are slated to begin on Oct. 7, 2024 and operate once daily. The route will be operated by SkyWest CRJ-700 aircraft.

The Northern Arizona airport – which handles more than 100,000 passengers annually – only sees regular service from American. Currently, the carrier operates up to five daily flights to Phoenix and once daily to Dallas/Fort Worth. American previously served LAX-FLG until December 2019.

Flagstaff is located roughly 85 miles from the popular Grand Canyon National Park and 143 miles north of Phoenix. American began serving Flagstaff in 2015 after merging with US Airways, which previously operated to the airport. Alaska’s Horizon Air also briefly flew to Flagstaff between 2008 and 2010.

U.S. airlines are betting more heavily on regional markets as pilot supply challenges continue to improve. During a recent earnings call, American CFO Devon May shared that the company plans to have 535 fully utlized regional jets by the end of 2024.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on May 13, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. ET to note that American previously served the LAX-FLG route between 2018 and 2019.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

United Resumes Two Regional Routes

United has decided to re-add some regional flying to smaller cities in the southeastern United States starting later this year.

Joey Gerardi

Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 02:52 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A CommuteAir Embraer E145 aircraft (Photo: CommuteAir)

United has decided to re-add regional flying to some of its smaller cities in the southeastern United States. During the height of COVID-19 and the years following, airlines had a hard time supplying pilots and numerous routes to smaller markets were cut.

Greensboro, N.C. and Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C. will see the return of flights to United’s hub at Washington Dulles. While they both have continued to see service to Newark, Dulles flights were cut back in early 2022 due to the regional pilot supply issues. These two communities being restarted were among a list of nine cities being cut from Dulles in early 2022, most of which still haven’t seen the return service and one of which isn’t even served by United anymore at all.

The interior of CommuteAir’s E145 with its 1-2 configuration. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Craig Fischer)

Similar to when they were last served from Dulles, service will be operated three times a day to each city onboard the 50-seat Embraer E145 operated by CommuteAir. Greenville/Spartanburg will begin on Sept. 26, 2024, while Greensboro will begin roughly a month later on Oct. 27, 2024.

Joey Gerardi

IAG Airlines Post Positive Q1 Results

The International Airlines Group (IAG) has reported a significant increase in operating profit for the first quarter of the year.

John Flett

Friday, May 10, 2024 at 12:04 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

British Airways and Iberia aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock | Fasttailwind)

The International Airlines Group (IAG) has reported a significant increase in operating profit for the first quarter of the year (Q1 2024). The consortium that includes British Airways (BA), Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL posted a €68 million ($73 million) profit up from €9 million ($9.71 million) in Q1 2023. Luis Gallego, IAG Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our transformation initiatives and increased demand, including over the Easter holidays, have delivered another very good set of results with improvements to both revenue and operating profit.”

With limited exposure to the Middle East and slow-recovering countries in the Asian market, IAG airlines performed better than some of its long-haul competitors. Reuters reported that Air France-KLM and the Lufthansa Group published first-quarter earnings below expectations. Gallego stated: “Our Group benefits from the strength of our core markets – North Atlantic, South Atlantic and intra-Europe – and the performance of our brands. Investment across the Group in transformation is delivering encouraging improvements in punctuality and customer experience at our airlines. IAG Loyalty continues to perform very well.”

Continued Latin American Growth

The Latin American and Caribbean regions were areas where IAG considerably increased capacity, up 14 percent. The majority of that capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), was serviced by Iberia, though LEVEL and British Airways also contributed. The regions accounted for 21.6 percent of IAGs ASKs for the quarter, third behind the North Atlantic (28.7 percent) and Europe (23.6 percent).

IAG classifies the United Kingdom and Spanish markets as ‘Domestic’ and together it accounted for 8.3 percent of the group’s capacity for Q1 2024. Though from a ‘passenger revenue per ASK’ metric, the ‘Domestic’ network gave the group its highest unit revenue increase at 6.9 percent for the quarter. The North Atlantic network had the second-highest gain at 6.5 percent benefitting from the strong premium traffic and an overall positive demand. Overall passenger capacity for the group was up 7 percent with passenger revenue scoring an increase of 11.7 percent vs Q1 2023.

With the early Easter period already contributing to the Q1 2024 results, IAG was looking forward to the upcoming northern summer season. For the group this is shaping up to be a solid one, barring any escalations in international crises or unforeseen events. Reuters reports Gallego mentioning on the earnings call that IAG ‘had already secured more than 80% of projected bookings for the second quarter and over 40% for the third quarter.’

In related news, British Airways Holidays released the results of a ‘Travel Trends Report’ this week that highlighted the way in which Brits are looking to travel. Of particular note was the increase in searches for packages in May and June as compared to the peak July/August period. According to the data, searches for the earlier months were double that of the traditional peak. Perhaps skewing the results for this year may be cost-savvy travelers looking to vacation earlier to avoid the Euros football tournament in Germany and the Paris Olympics.

John Flett

John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content. John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John has held the positions of course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and has been a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.

Livery of the Week: Aer Lingus’ Retro Scheme

In 2011, Aer Lingus, the Irish national airline, celebrated its 75th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the carrier unveiled a special livery on an Airbus A320.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, May 10, 2024 at 11:11 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Aer Lingus A320 in a retro paint scheme (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.

In 2011, Aer Lingus, the Irish national airline, celebrated its 75th anniversary in style. To mark the occasion, the carrier unveiled a special livery on one of its Airbus A320 aircraft.

This unique paint scheme wasn’t the standard green and white that passengers were accustomed to seeing. Instead, it was a retro design inspired by an earlier era of Aer Lingus aircraft.

The design was derived from an early 1960s livery. The Airbus A320 donned a mostly dark green and white color scheme, with a subtle hint of Aer Lingus’s signature green on the tail. This design was a stark contrast to the airline’s usual vibrant green livery.

Aer Lingus’ retro paint scheme (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

This special retro Airbus A320, with the registration EI-DVM, still operates in the airline’s fleet today. It serves as a flying tribute to Aer Lingus’s long history and heritage. The Irish airline operates a fleet of over 50 narrow and widebody aircraft.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

Ryan Ewing

Allegiant Scales Back Boeing Delivery Outlook

Allegiant has revised its expectations for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, cutting back on the number of deliveries anticipated for this year.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, May 09, 2024 at 05:13 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Allegiant Boeing 737 MAX on a test flight in Washington State (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Allegiant has revised its expectations for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, cutting back on the number of deliveries anticipated for this year. The airline is now expecting to receive six 737 MAXs in 2024.

This adjustment is down from the originally planned 12 deliveries. The first of these aircraft is now expected to begin revenue service in the third quarter, almost a year behind schedule.

The decision to cut back on the delivery schedule comes amid ongoing production and quality control issues at Boeing, which have significantly impacted the timely delivery of 737 MAX aircraft to airlines.

“We are updating our delivery expectations and planning the business for delivery of six aircraft this year rather than the 12 previously communicated,” added the airline’s finance chief Robert Neal during a first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday. Neal noted that these were not based on estimates by Boeing, but rather on the airline’s “best estimate.”

The ongoing delivery delays have broader implications for Allegiant, as it has already invested in preparing for the arrival of the new aircraft type. Prior to the aircraft entering service, the airline incurred costs related to training pilots on the new type, planning its network, and making other necessary preparations.

The delay in deliveries has also contributed to Allegiant’s recent financial performance, with the company reporting a $919,000 loss in the first quarter of 2024.

The Las Vegas-based airline holds unfilled orders for 50 737 MAX and options for a further 80 of the Boeing narrowbodies, as it moves away from its status as an all-Airbus operator.

Ryan Ewing

Financial Pressures Force Air Vanuatu to Ground Flights and Seek Restructuring

Facing financial pressures and a lessor's insolvency claim, Air Vanuatu has entered a period of uncertainty as the government considers administration.

Tolga Karadeniz

Thursday, May 09, 2024 at 11:26 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Vanuata 737-800 (Photo: Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Air Vanuatu, the national carrier of Vanuatu, has found itself in a precarious position. The airline has been forced to take drastic measures, grounding its aircraft, canceling flights, and even dissolving its board of directors. This turmoil comes after seeking guidance from Ernst & Young, a prominent consulting firm, on the possibility of entering voluntary administration, a form of bankruptcy.

The situation began to unravel on May 6, according to Alain Lew, the former chairman of the board. The Vanuatu government, facing mounting financial pressures within the airline, approached Ernst & Young to explore different options. This decision closely followed an insolvency claim filed against Air Vanuatu by a lessor, further highlighting the airline’s financial woes.

The immediate consequences for passengers are significant. Air Vanuatu has been forced to cancel approximately 20 flights to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand, with cancellations extending through May 12. The fate of flights beyond that date remains unclear, leaving many travelers in limbo.

In an attempt to manage the crisis, the Vanuatu government released a statement on May 8. The statement acknowledged the possibility of placing Air Vanuatu in voluntary administration and confirmed the appointment of Ernst & Young. Their role will be to meticulously evaluate the airline’s financial health and present recommendations to the government on the best course of action.

Mounting Financial Pressures and a Looming Crisis

This situation exposes a deeper financial struggle that Air Vanuatu has been grappling with for some time. Last month, Vanuatu’s finance minister downplayed rumors of the airline’s instability, calling them mere “rumor-mongering on Facebook.” However, he acknowledged long-standing challenges that the airline had been facing.

Adding another layer of complexity is the absence of Air Vanuatu’s sole jet, a Boeing 737-800. The aircraft has been grounded since January for a critical C-check in Melbourne, Australia. To maintain some semblance of operation, Air Vanuatu has resorted to wet-leasing aircraft from Nauru Airlines and Solomon Airlines.

Further complicating matters, a legal battle lost by Air Vanuatu in 2018 has recently resurfaced. The judgment, only released in February 2024, revealed that the airline had unsuccessfully appealed a hefty VUV150 million (USD $1.25 million) judgment in favor of Isleno Leasing Co Ltd. This failed appeal likely played a role in Isleno’s decision to initiate liquidation proceedings against Air Vanuatu on May 2.

With the arrival of Ernst & Young representatives in Port Vila, a period of intense financial scrutiny has begun for Air Vanuatu. The consulting firm will work closely with the Vanuatu government and the airline’s remaining team to assess the situation and determine the best path forward. The future of Air Vanuatu hangs in the balance, with the outcome impacting not only the airline’s employees and passengers but also Vanuatu’s vital tourism industry.

Tolga Karadeniz

Tolga is a dedicated aviation enthusiast with years of experience in the industry. From an early age, his fascination with aviation went beyond a mere passion for travel, evolving into a deliberate exploration of the complex mechanics and engineering behind aircraft. As a writer, he aims to share insights , providing readers with a view into the complex inner workings of the aviation industry.

Emirates Expands Aircraft Retrofit Program

Emirates announced an expansion of its already massive effort to refurbish existing Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, which began in 2022.

Hemal Gosai

Thursday, May 09, 2024 at 10:21 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Emirates Airbus A380. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Emirates announced an expansion of its already massive effort to refurbish existing aircraft. In 2022, the airline announced a $2 billion aircraft retrofit program that was aimed at refreshing interiors of 67 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft. This has now expanded to another 43 A3380 and 28 Boeing 777 aircraft.

This brings the total number of aircraft being refurbished under this program to 191. The goal of the expansion is to ensure more aircraft have the newer interiors that currently reflect Emirates’ new color scheme and branding while also installing premium economy on aircraft.

22 A380s have been retrofitted so far and starting this July, the first Boeing 777 will start refurbishment. It will take approximately two weeks to complete and other Boeing 777 aircraft are expected to be refurbished at a similar pace.

First class will now have a revised color scheme with changes to panels and upholstery. A brand new 1-2-1 configuration business class cabin will be added to the aircraft along with 24 premium economy seats. Details of the new business class cabin have yet to be revealed.

The addition of premium economy will impact the overall seat count on the aircraft. Refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft will have eight first class seats, 40 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 260 economy seats. This marks a reduction of 50 economy seats which are being removed to make space for the premium economy cabin.

These new seats will all feature updated cabin designs that will be similar to what is found on the refurbished A380s already in service.

Emirates A380 first class seat (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Hemal Gosai)

All of this work is being done by the Emirates Engineering Centre right in Dubai. At the end of the refurbishment project, the airline will have installed 8,104 premium economy seats, 1,894 refreshed first class suites, 11,182 upgraded business class seats, and 21,814 economy seats.

These new interiors reflect the next generation of Emirates a more mature brand. The airline is dropping much of the dark wood paneling and gold finishes to a lighter and brighter color scheme. Emirates is going for subtle elegance across the fleet.

No renderings of the Boeing 777 interiors have been released yet but hopefully the airline will continue to highlight the ghaf tree, the national tree of the United Arab Emirates, across the fleet. The refurbished A380 aircraft in the fleet all have hand-painted ghaf trees across bulkheads and various other parts of the cabin adding a cultural touch to the airline.

Hemal Gosai

Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.

JetBlue Redeploys Capacity to Add New Mint and Puerto Rico Routes

JetBlue has unveiled a suite of network changes, including an expansion of its Puerto Rico operations and several new Mint routes.

Andrew Chen

Wednesday, May 08, 2024 at 07:23 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue Airbus A321. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue has unveiled a suite of network changes, including an expansion of its Puerto Rico operations and several new Mint routes. The airline will also be reducing its flying from LaGuardia Airport in New York.

Expanding Flights From Puerto Rico

The network expansion includes a slate of new routes out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since making the Puerto Rican capital a focus city in 2012, JetBlue has become largest carrier at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

New JetBlue routes from San Juan include daily service to Providence, R.I., Westchester County, N.Y. and Santiago, Dominican Republic. JetBlue will also offer four weekly flights between San Juan and Medellin in Colombia and three weekly flights between San Juan and Cancun in Mexico. These routes are scheduled to begin in late October.

Starting in December, the airline will also resume service to St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands, with a daily flight to and from San Juan. The carrier previously served St. Croix between 2011 and 2019.

“JetBlue has been a proud part of the Puerto Rican community for over twenty years, and we’re excited to deepen our roots with this expansion,” said JetBlue President Marty St. George. “Our decades-long history with this vibrant community drives our enthusiasm to not only increase our service but also to strengthen our relationships and presence in the region.”

More JetBlue Mint Destinations

JetBlue is also bringing its lie-flat premium experience – known as Mint – to three new cities: Phoenix, Vancouver and San Juan. Flights from New York–JFK to Vancouver and San Juan will see year-round Mint service with the airline’s Airbus A321 aircraft.

Meanwhile, all JetBlue flights to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will have Mint for the upcoming winter season. JetBlue’s Phoenix service consists of flights between the Arizonan capital and JetBlue’s bases in Boston and New York–JFK. The airline will also deploy Mint-equipped aircraft on its Fort Lauderdale–Las Vegas route for the winter season.

JetBlue Mint seats on an Airbus A321-200 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Hemal Gosai)

Redeploying Capacity: Two New Caribbean Destinations and Reduced Flying at LaGuardia

The New York-based carrier has also revealed two destinations for the company. Starting in the fall, JetBlue will begin flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Flamingo International Airport in Bonaire.

Amid challenges with aircraft availability, the company has stated that its new routes will be added by redeploying capacity within its network. As of late October, JetBlue is ending flights between New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Atlanta, New Orleans, Nassau, Tampa, and Fort Myers. The carrier is also reducing frequencies on its routes between LaGuardia and Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. According to the airline, these service reductions are the result of the end of its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines.

JetBlue is also exiting a few other markets elsewhere in its network. Flights to Puerto Vallarta from New York–JFK and Los Angeles will be ending in June, marking the airline’s departure from the popular Mexican vacation destination. As of late October, the airline is ending its Los Angeles–Newark and Los Angeles–Orlando routes.

Andrew Chen

Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.