JetBlue shifts focus from Long Beach amid pandemic-driven changes

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Global Industry News

JetBlue shifts focus from Long Beach amid pandemic-driven changes

Policy

Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Dec 2, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines in the United States faced significant challenges as passenger demand plummeted to levels not seen since the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. This led many carriers to make difficult decisions regarding their operations, with some reducing their presence in certain markets.

JetBlue Airways was one such airline that had to reassess its strategies. As a result of these challenging conditions, JetBlue decided during the pandemic to close its operating base at Long Beach Airport (LGB) and focus on expanding its operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This move marked a shift in strategy for JetBlue, which had been a major carrier at LGB.

In an email to TrueBlue members, JetBlue explained: "After careful consideration, as of October 7th, 2020, we will be moving our scheduled Long Beach flights to LAX. We have proudly served LGB for many years, so no longer offering service has been a difficult decision."

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The airline announced plans to increase its presence at LAX with over 30 daily flights and continue serving Southern California through other airports like Ontario International Airport (ONT), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), and San Diego International Airport (SAN).

JetBlue's decision also aligned with its long-term goal of strengthening its position in the premium transcontinental market by offering mint business class service on all transcontinental flights from LAX. According to Business Wire, this move was part of JetBlue's ongoing efforts to expand its presence at LAX and capture more of the lucrative transcontinental market.

The closure of JetBlue's base at Long Beach had noticeable effects on the airport's market dynamics. Southwest Airlines significantly increased its market share at LGB following JetBlue's departure. The current market share distribution shows Southwest Airlines leading with 84.82%, followed by Hawaiian Airlines at 6.92%, SkyWest Airlines at 5.91%, Mesa Airlines at 2.27%, and Delta Air Lines holding just 0.07%.

While some might expect loyal JetBlue passengers from Long Beach would travel further to fly out of LAX, statistics indicate otherwise. In 2019, LGB saw 3.58 million passengers; however, by 2023 that number had grown beyond pre-pandemic levels to over 3.7 million passengers annually.

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