U.S. low fares carrier JetBlue finally began its long-awaited transatlantic service when the first customer-carrying JetBlue flight from New York-JFK touched down at Heathrow just before 10 o’clock yesterday morning, 12 August.
The carrier is the latest airline looking to “shake up” the the lucrative transatlantic market between London and New York.
It is the first time JetBlue has served a destination beyond the 100+ cities it flies to throughout the Americas.
With new service in the United Kingdom, JetBlue now operates in 26 countries.
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes celebrated that this was the first time in the airline’s 21-year history that it was crossing the North Atlantic to compete it one of the busiest travel markets in the world.
“With JetBlue now connecting New York and London, travellers finally have the ability to enjoy low fares while also experiencing superior service,” he said.
“As the UK opens to travellers coming from America, our flights are well timed to meet the pent up demand for travel between our two countries.”
Reduced Service
However, the first flight was carrying only U.S.-based passengers as UK and EU citizens are still prohibited from travelling to the U.S.
Until restrictions are lifted, JetBlue will trim its original schedule, flying daily to Heathrow throughout August but only four times weekly in September.
No decision has been made about frequency of the Heathrow service beyond September.
A second flight from JFK to London Gatwick will debut on 29 September.
Speaking last week, Hayes expressed frustration that the travel corridor between the U.S. and the UK hadn’t fully reopened.
