JetBlue is taking another look at entering the trans-Atlantic market, but it will only do so when it can find the right plane for profitability and flexibility, CEO Robin Hayes told Skift in an interview.
Hayes says the popular discount (but not ultra-low-cost) carrier would like to add Europe, but wants to do so with a plane that can regularly fly between the East Coast and most popular European destinations. It would also like to stay with the Airbus A320/A321 family that makes up its existing fleet.
Airbus has been pushed by JetBlue and other customers, including Lufthansa, for longer-range versions of the A321. The A321LR, which is basically an A321 with an extra, and removable, fuel tank, can make some of those routes, but destinations such as Frankfurt are at the end of its range, and some flights might require fuel stops.
Airbus is considering a proposal for an XLR version, which would be a more significantly different plane. Boeing is also considering a ‘clean-sheet’ design for a new middle-of-the-market plane that would be aimed at routes like that. At present, a few airlines, including Norwegian, are using the 737 MAX for shorter trans-Atlantic routes, but longer routes would be an issue. And, for the moment, JetBlue has indicated it plans to stick with Airbus.
