A big welcome to JetBlue Airlines

03-26-2006

 

The announcement that JetBlue Airlines plans to introduce nonstop service from Pittsburgh to New York and Boston is wonderful news for local travelers.

In addition to offering Pittsburghers a price-competitive alternative to two important domestic destinations now served exclusively by legacy carriers, the JetBlue flights, which will begin June 30, will provide easy, cost-effective connections to international gateways.

Based in Forest Hills, N.Y., the 5-year-old airline has been growing quickly, building its reputation and business on a simple, low-fare structure and passenger in-flight amenities, such as preassigned seats and light snacks. Pittsburgh will be its 39th market.

JetBlue will be flying new Embraer 190 aircraft on both routes, with 100 leather-upholstered, 18.5-inch-wide seats (on average 1 inch wider than most coach seats) in a two-by-two configurement which gives everyone either a window or an aisle. Wide aisles, 32 inches of leg room, ample headspace and large windows all add to overall comfort and convenience.

In addition, each seat has its own 6.8-inch video screen, featuring free DIRECTV and XM Satellite Radio channels.

JetBlue also offers a frequent-flier program called TrueBlue, based on a system that tracks points for each flight based on its length and awards a free round trip for each 100 points. A Pittsburgh-to-New York flight would earn two points, or four if it were booked online.

JetBlue's New York flight plans call for four daily departures to JFK, 90-minute flights leaving Pittsburgh International at 6 a.m., 10:35 a.m., 3:40 p.m. and

7:25 p.m. The return trips, which will take 15 minutes longer, are scheduled to depart JFK at 8:15 a.m., 12:25 p.m., 5:10 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. JetBlue's one-way fares will range from $59 for reservations made online at least two weeks in advance to $129 for tickets purchased at the last minute. Trips do not have to be booked round-trip.

Flights to Boston's Logan Airport are scheduled to leave Pittsburgh at 7:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. and return at 1:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. One-way fares will range from $69 to $139, plus taxes and airport fees.

These fares compare very favorably with ticket prices now charged by the carriers flying these routes. As explained in my New York alternative article last Sunday, US Airways' round-trip fares to New York now range from $189 to $1,286, while fares to Boston are between $364 and $1,246.

These high fares should fall dramatically, assuming the same competitive scenario unfolds that followed in the wake of Southwest's arrival in Pittsburgh last spring, with US Airways matching Southwest's low prices to Philadelphia, Chicago, Orlando and Las Vegas.

This will mean a broader selection of low-cost flight options to Boston and New York, as well as connecting service to other JetBlue destinations. Although it might not make much sense to fly to New York for a West Coast trip, JetBlue does offer flights from New York City to a selection of Florida cities, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach. JetBlue also flies nonstop from JFK to the Bahamas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

JetBlue's four flights to JFK also will help address another major weakness. For years, the only direct flights from Pittsburgh to JFK have been three daily round trips offered by Delta on 50-passenger jets. This has limited international connection opportunities and often required passengers to make expensive and time-consuming ground transfers from LaGuardia and Newark airports. The JetBlue Pittsburgh departure at 3:40 p.m. should be good for international flights leaving JFK in the late afternoon or early evening, while the last flight from JFK to Pittsburgh at 8:30 p.m. may be a lifesaver for incoming international passengers.

It also will be cheaper and easier to get to Boston, with discounted service on a variety of carriers, especially to European destinations such as Ireland and Portugal.

While these international connections still don't offer the advantages of direct, nonstop European service from Pittsburgh International, they are a big improvement. So welcome to JetBlue, and congratulations to the Allegheny County Airport Authority for enticing them to town.

For details, visit www.jetblue. com or call 1-800-538-2583

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