JetBlue CEO: Worcester Feels Right, But More Work To Do
MATT PILON
JetBlue CEO David Barger speaks to reporters Wednesday at the Beechwood Hotel as Transportation Secretary Richard Davey looks on.
JetBlue Airways CEO David Barger told reporters today that "Worcester feels very JetBlue," but said the airline has more planning to do before it could make any firm commitment to schedule flights into and out of the city.
But he expressed confidence that Worcester could supply enough traffic to make an additional location work for the carrier. JetBlue flies planes out of Boston, Hartford and Providence, R.I.
If JetBlue does set up shop at Worcester Regional Airport, it would likely start off with flights to Florida, he said.
City and state officials, along with business leaders, gave Barger a tour of the city for several hours Wednesday, culminating with a luncheon at the Beechwood Hotel. The event was closed to the media. Barger held a brief press conference afterwards with Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, state Transportation Secretary Richard Davey, City Manager Michael V. O'Brien and David Mackey, interim executive director of MassPort, which bought the airport in 2010.
Given the festivities and attendees, it seemed possible that Barger might make an announcement about future service in Worcester, which has been without a commercial passenger carrier since Direct Air stopped flying in March. It later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection before being ordered by a judge to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7.
Barger spoke for two minutes and answered several questions. He praised Worcester for "being on the same page" regarding its airport. He has only been to the city a few times, but seems to have the area landmarks memorized.
"You can see the investment in infrastructure such as CitySquare, such as Union Station," Barger said. "You can see there's steel going up everywhere. There's concrete being laid everywhere."
Barger said JetBlue's fleet schedule, which is committed through this year and largely committed through 2013, is the airline's biggest challenge to starting service in Worcester.
In brief comments, Mackey mentioned what could be an even bigger obstacle: the airport's outdated landing system. But from the sound of it, Mackey expects MassPort to move forward with a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the system.
"In September, we are advancing with our board – with our secretary and our chair's support – an upgraded instrument landing system in Worcester, which will make that airport a viable attractive commercial airport 365 days a year for carriers the caliber of JetBlue," Mackey said.
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