JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announces plans to expand its San Juan, Puerto Rico focus city and begin daily nonstop service to
Tampa International Airport in May 2011 with a second flight beginning in June 2011. This new route to Florida's second-largest city continues JetBlue's steady expansion in Puerto Rico from the island's three main airports. From Aguadilla, Ponce, and San Juan, JetBlue offers service to destinations on the U.S. mainland including Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New York, Tampa, plus intra-Caribbean service to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Tickets for JetBlue's new Tampa - San Juan route will go on sale at
www.jetblue.com in October.
"We've seen a tremendous amount of growth in Puerto Rico in recent years thanks to the support of our loyal customers. Today, we're pleased to bring the great JetBlue experience customers have known for years, complete with its low fares and high quality service, to the San Juan-Tampa flier," said
Scott Laurence, JetBlue's vice president of network planning. "Whether it's visiting friends and relatives, conducting business, or just planning a summer vacation, this new route will offer travelers more options and a pleasant alternative to the other guys. Best of all, every JetBlue fare comes packed with amenities normally associated with first class including a first checked bag free(a), all-leather seats, the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline(b), free movies at every seatback, unlimited free snacks and most importantly, genuine, friendly service."
"Air access for Puerto Rico is key to our economic development," said
Jaime A. Lopez Diaz, Chief Development Officer and Director of Air Access of the
Department of Economic Development and Commerce of Puerto Rico. "We are grateful to have great airline partners like JetBlue, which has grown consistently its air seat capacity to Puerto Rico year over year. This new route announcement, that increases the air seat capacity from Tampa and nearby cities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater, demonstrates the commitment that JetBlue has with Puerto Rico, and is the result of a great working relationship that we have with our partner airlines. This increase in seat capacity benefits our tourism industry, commercial development, and our homeport cruise industry."
Since entering the Puerto Rico market in 2002, JetBlue has steadily expanded its presence to support not only the island's thriving tourist trade but also the vital links between families of Puerto Rican heritage on the island and on the mainland. JetBlue employs a growing staff of more than 150 Crewmembers throughout the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. With up to 19 daily departures from San Juan, the city is among JetBlue's top ten most-served destinations.
JetBlue's Tampa to San Juan service will be operated with the airline's spacious Airbus A320, which offers roomy, all-leather seating for 150 customers, including the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline. Customers looking to pamper themselves even further can upgrade to a super-spacious Even More Legroom seat.
About JetBlue Airways
Voted "Most Eco-Friendly Airline" by Zagat's Airline Survey in 2008 and 2009, New York-based JetBlue Airways has created a new airline category based on value, service and style. In 2010, the carrier also ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Low-Cost Carriers in North America" by J.D. Power and Associates, a customer satisfaction recognition received for the sixth year in a row. Known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue is now pleased to offer customers Lots of Legroom and super-spacious Even More Legroom seats. JetBlue is also America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue's control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 61 cities with 650 daily flights. New service to
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC and to
Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT begins in November. The airline also intends to serve Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands in February, 2011. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information or reservations call 1-800-JET-BLUE (1-800-538-2583), TTY/TDD 1-800-336-5530 or visit
www.jetblue.com.
(a)
Baggage weight and size limits apply.
(b)
JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach, based on average fleet-wide seat pitch for U.S. airlines.