JetBlue is determined to push ahead with its plans for London, even now when the future for flying looks dim—and it just got a possible boost from Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority, which is forcing American and British Air to give up some slots at Heathrow or Gatwick.
The move by CMA is based on how dominant the AA/BA joint venture has become in a number of London markets, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Philadelphia. Other airlines will be awarded the new slots in those markets, and Boston is one of the two cities from which JetBlue plans to fly to London when it gets its new A321XLR planes later this year.
CMA pointed out that those cities have few or no other airlines selling direct-to-London seats. JetBlue’s other big hub, JFK, is also slated for London flights, but CMA is not opening the way there because there is heavy competition on the route. The airlines have not yet announced where the slots will be surrendered; it’s likely they would prefer Gatwick, where BA was already downsizing over Heathrow, where many trans-Atlantic rivals transfer for European cities.
