Aer Lingus and JetBlue have announced an agreement for Aer Lingus to move its flight operations at New York John F Kennedy International Airport from Terminal 4 to JetBlue’s Terminal 5 in early 2013. The minimum connection time from European arrivals to US departures will be reduced to 60 minutes, with connections to Ireland as fast as 40 minutes.
Aer Lingus will become the first foreign carrier to join JetBlue at Terminal 5, a move that will offer passengers “a premium airport experience” whether they are travelling only with Aer Lingus between Ireland (Dublin or Shannon) and New York or connecting to one of JetBlue’s many destinations across the Americas.
Until its relocation in the first quarter of 2013, Aer Lingus will continue to operate from Terminal 4, a short ride away on JFK’s free and frequent AirTrain service.
Aer Lingus currently offers twice-daily service between Dublin and New York JFK and three weekly flights between Shannon and JFK, carrying nearly 400,000 passengers through the airport last year. Aer Lingus and JetBlue have offered interline connections since 2008, providing one-stop ticketing and baggage check-in for travel on both carriers.
Christoph Mueller, Aer Lingus Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to announce our move to T5 at JFK. Aer Lingus and JetBlue have been working closely together for the past four years offering connections between our networks at New York and Boston. Both airlines share a dedicated to our customers and enjoy reputations for providing great value service. Today’s announcement means that all Aer Lingus customers at JFK will not get to enjoy the unique T5 experience.”
Dave Barger, JetBlue President and Chief Executive, added: “We are honoured to be welcoming Aer Lingus, our first international airline partner, into our home at Terminal 5. We are certain that the hundreds of thousands of travellers passing through New York with Aer Lingus each year will truly enjoy doing so through JFK’s newest and most appealing terminal. Plus, for this customers connecting between our airlines to other destinations, this move is making the transit experience easier and more pleasurable than ever.”
Terminal 5
T5, JetBlue’s state-of-the-art terminal at New York JFK International Airport, was opened in October 2008 and offers 26 gates, free wi-fi, 22 food and beverage outlets, and 14 retail shops.
