A tlanta will once again be served by JetBlue Airways with a nonstop flight to Boston as of Thursday, March 30, 2017 — and you can book your flight reservations on this flight route.
JetBlue Airways Serves Atlanta Starting March 30, 2017
After greater than 13 years, JetBlue Airways — an airline based in New York — returns to serve Atlanta initially with flight service to Boston. Oddly, both Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines — which acquired AirTran Airways back in 2010 in a $1.4 billion cash-and-stock deal — both offer nonstop service between Atlanta and Boston.
JetBlue Airways served Atlanta back in 2003 with a nonstop flight to Long Beach at first and then Oakland; but due to intense competition from Delta Air Lines; its low-cost subsidiary which was known as song; and what was then known as AirTran Airways, service to Atlanta by JetBlue Airways was canceled as of Thursday, December 4, 2003 — six months after the service was launched…
…but the main reason why JetBlue Airways is launching service on this competitive route is because it is in the process of fortifying its hub in Boston. “This is our 63rd nonstop destination from Boston – more than any other airline – and our most requested route!” according to this article from Out of the Blue, which is the official weblog of JetBlue Airways. “This announcement marks our latest step in cementing our place as Boston’s No. 1 airline and we couldn’t be more excited by the options available for our Boston customers, or those traveling through via JetBlue or one of our 13 interline and codeshare partners that connect Boston to the world.”
Boston is only the first destination for Atlanta, as JetBlue Airways is also planning to add nonstop service to its other focus cities of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Orlando.
JetBlue Airways Versus Other Options
As much as I prefer to fly as a passenger on Delta Air Lines, I am based in Atlanta; and lower airfares for nonstop flights can be difficult at times to procure unless flying as a passenger on ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines…
…and no — those so-called basic economy airfares offered by legacy airlines these days often do not save money for travelers to and from Atlanta: “You’d think that they would place the price tag somewhere south of $350 for those basic economy seats but no! instead, they are charging $350 (what used to be the cheapest regular economy fare) for it and if you wanted to get regular economy seat, you better pay $30 more now($380)(econ fare X)”, posted FlyerTalk member porori, who had never before encountered basic economy class until earlier this month, when Delta Air Lines apparently added it from Little Rock to Atlanta to Washington Dulles International Airport. “I thought the point of basic economy was for them to compete with Spirit, Frontier, etc by offering lower price. Not to mention that we don’t even have those ultra-lost cost airlines for them to compete with here. Is this a common practice of Delta to increase their price?”
The short answer is no, porori.
As a business traveler, the biggest issue Edward Pizzarello of Pizza in Motion has with basic economy fares is the lack of flexibility, according to this article: “American has now confirmed to me that basic economy customers will not be re-accommodated on other airlines, and will be at the bottom of the list for automatic re-accommodation as well. However basic economy “B” inventory will not need to be available in order to be moved onto another flight.”
Summary
Atlanta needed an option between the legacy carriers and the ultra-low-cost carriers, in my opinion; and unlike Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways has the potential of filling that void with its “low fares and award-winning service” — especially if that airline not only continues to serve Atlanta but also expands service.
Although this news was first announced back in July of 2016, I thought I would post an article now that service launches next month.
I am not yet convinced to fly as a passenger on an airplane operated by JetBlue Airways; but I will keep an open mind…
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
