JetBlue deal with American provides out for Worcester nonstop flight
Photo | Grant Welker
A JetBlue airplane on the Worcester Regional Airport tarmac
JetBlue and American Airlines have reached an agreement to coordinate their service to the Northeastern United States, which includes a caveat relinquishing JetBlue of the need to maintain service to the Worcester Regional Airport as part of the newly formalized relationship between the two airlines.
The agreement, which has been under review by the U.S. Department of Transportation since July 22 and which was approved on Jan. 10, allows for the two commercial airlines to intentionally align their schedules in order to provide better service options to consumers traveling through the Northeast. Certain safeguards will be put in place to protect competition, including strict rules about what each airline will be allowed to discuss during planning meetings.
The two companies will not be allowed to discuss, among other things, future fares, fare levels or revenue management strategies, according to DOT documents. They will also not be allowed to discuss any route, scheduling or capacity decision for any flight outside of what has been termed the northeast alliance, or NEA.
But the first commitment in the agreement, listed even before the above regulations, stipulates that JetBlue will not exit any non-seasonal, nonstop service to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City it served as of February 2020, except for three cities, one of which is Worcester. The other two exempted cities are Oakland and Long Beach, both in California.
It was not immediately clear Tuesday morning what that caveat meant for the future of either airline servicing Worcester. Both received temporary DOT approval to suspend service to Worcester in the spring of 2020, following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. In the fall, JetBlue said it was unsure when service to the city would resume.
A spokesperson for JetBlue said the agreement will not impact its future relationship with Worcester.
"The agreement released last week by the US Department of Transportation regarding the strategic alliance between JetBlue and American Airlines reflects JetBlue’s temporary suspension of Worcester service, but does not reflect our future plans for Worcester," said corporate communications manager Derek Dombrowski. "We continue to evaluate our service levels while we navigate the current economic climate and travel demand."
Until the pandemic stopped all regular commercial flights out of Worcester Regional Airport, JetBlue offered nonstop service to New York City, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. American Airlines provided service to Philadelphia. The third commercial carrier, Delta Air Lines, which provided service to Detroit, ceased serving Worcester as of Oct. 1. It has remained unclear if and when any carrier would once again fly in and out of the city.
Massport, which owns and operates the airport, declined to comment on the agreement.
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