Arado 234

APA email today:

Management Announces Expansion of JetBlue Alliance
Today, the AAL and JBLU management teams announced another expansion of their “Northeast Alliance” (NEA) business scheme in New York and Boston.

APA was made aware of the expansion approximately 15 minutes before it went public. Due to the fact that management did not provide a reasonable period of advance notice, your APA Scope Committee and other subject-matter experts are just now reviewing the expansion announcement.

APA Scope will continue to analyze the NEA business scheme to ensure that any actions by management are in full compliance with your contract.

While JBLU management has announced additional flying for JetBlue pilots (see below), APA awaits information from AAL management regarding what additional mainline flights are planned for us.

Below are excerpts pertaining to the additional JBLU flying:

“Four All-New JetBlue Cities on Sale Today, Along with Five New LaGuardia Markets”
“JetBlue will serve San Antonio International Airport (SAT) from both New York-JFK and Boston starting October 31, 2021. Roundtrip flights will initially operate once daily with the intention to introduce additional daily frequencies in the future.”
“JetBlue will serve Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) from New York-JFK starting February 19, 2022. Roundtrip flights will operate once daily.”
“JetBlue will serve Kansas City International Airport (MCI) from both New York-JFK and Boston starting March 27, 2022. Roundtrip flights will initially operate once daily.”
“JetBlue will serve Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) from both New York-JFK and Boston starting March 27, 2022. Roundtrip flights will initially operate once daily.”
“Starting October 31, 2021, JetBlue will add service between LaGuardia and:
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) | Twice daily
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) | Once daily, winter seasonal
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) | Once daily”
“Starting March 27, 2022, JetBlue will add service between LaGuardia and:
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) | Once daily
Nashville International Airport (BNA) | Twice daily”
“JetBlue schedules for other previously announced new cities including San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP); Vancouver, Canada (YVR); and Asheville, N.C. (AVL) – as well as summer 2022 service between LaGuardia and Portland, Maine (PWM) – will be announced at a later date.”
“By the end of this year, JetBlue plans to offer 35 daily departures at LaGuardia and intends to grow to more than 50 daily departures by summer 2022.”
Coincidently, two days before the announcement, industry blog View from the Wing published an article called “The American Airlines-JetBlue Partnership Is A Mess For Passengers.” Here are some excerpts:

“American Airlines and JetBlue have forged a ‘Northeastern Alliance’ covering flights in and out of Boston and New York. This is great in theory for American Airlines customers, giving them a big domestic network to fly while still earning miles and elite status. It’s great for JetBlue customers given American’s global reach. And it makes the two airlines competitive against United and Delta in selling to corporate accounts.”
“American Airlines customers, especially, should like flying JetBlue which offers more legroom, seat back entertainment, free wifi and a business class product (on routes where it’s offered) with relatively great seats, food, and friendly service.”
“However, the actual partnership – as experienced by passengers – is quite broken. Several customers, based in both Boston and New York, have shared the problems they’ve faced and an American Airlines manager generously provided context.”
“The partnership was announced a year ago, and it’s been live for five months, but it’s not yet ready for prime time.”
“Overall it should be good for customers, but competitors don’t like it. However, the value proposition is entirely contingent on delivering a consistent customer experience. The two airlines aren’t close to that yet.”
In related news, industry blog Cranky Flier reported the following on Monday:

Delta Builds Up Boston: Delta is making a move in Boston with a whole bunch of new leisure flights starting this winter. Routes include Aruba, Montego Bay, Nassau, Punta Cana, St Thomas, and Turks and Caicos. Charleston (SC) also sees its second summer daily flight extended through the winter.

Beechnut

If your APA would get on Apple news or even Yahoo and search up "Airline News," they have found this announcement months ago.

Dobbs18

this is Part 2 of the colab with JB....they one you speak of yes, was months ago.

Tjeff

For those of us less informed on financial matters. Is this overall good for AAs financials? Just considering the overall dread that is usually associated when talking AA financials.

Dobbs18

TBD….its hard to say right now seeing how this is all in its infancy and COVID really threw all this on a big pause button…I would assume(and this is just my opinion) AA stands to benefit from this when international travel resumes to pre-COVID levels, until then it’s just a fancy agreement on paper bc without it JB offers no flights that AA passengers can’t already book through solely on AA metal. That being said the amount of different flight options is greatly higher for both JB and AA passengers. But I think it’s fair to assume that it becomes really beneficial when a JB frequent traveler wants to travel to say somewhere in the Far East, Australia, or Europe and can do so somewhat seamlessly through a combo of JB and AA flights. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen.

BeatNavy

Also, fwiw, apparently an IT limitation prevents any eagle flights from being codeshared yet with B6. So, when they “fix the glitch” some at jetblue are fearful eagle will replace some historically JetBlue routes. Things could also be contingent upon the upcoming arbitration ruling on B6ALPA’s scope grievance. A lot of uncertainties on both sides with this thing…all of us pilots are just along for the ride (except I suppose when we get a vote on scope relief).

watch

When people say “eagle” do they actually mean Envoy? Or is it all wholly owned

AeroEnvoy

I think they mean all regionals operating as AE including Republic, Mesa and Sky West.

El Peso

Eagle is American Eagle. As in the express regional division of AA which includes like 6 regional airlines. Envoy is Envoy.

ZeroTT

except that Envoy used to be Eagle. It’s not necessarily clear from context