Some felt that the pull out of JBLU out of the "big" LAS-LGB(LAX) market was another retreat by JBLU. The fact, as said, is JBLU was just flying this market to keep slots. Just like the LGB-OAK flights. The really big markets are the transcons.
The pull out from ATL was smart. The damage was done. The walk up fare from ATL-LAX was over $2000, one way, for coach before JBLU. Now that DAL double their flights & Airtran took over the fare is is $399. Another DAL bread & butter route taken away. Same thing is happening to AMR too.
How can AMR compete with JBLU when their costs are 10.31 vs 5.92. While costs at AA are going down so are the costs at JBLU. Is AA going to match JBLU fares, $158 r/t, on the BOS & JFK transcons and still give away a free R/T to Japan?
Its is known that JBLU has a far superior coach product than AA. A 34" leather seat pitch, with free 24 channels of live Direct TV. Soon to be bumped up to 36 channels of free TV, 100 channels of XM radio & movies! With more to come.
Some say that the FF program at AA is the draw. I see a lot of AA & UAL top tier FF members on JBLU. They all say the same thing. They are tired of being treated badly by AA & UAL. They know of the rows with 36" pitch. They like that they can get a great fare on short notice without any restictions. That if they change their mind they are only charge $25 vs $100 to change and even this fee is waived a lot. A few are buying a whole row for the price of one seat on AA. Many couples by 3 seats for the space.
The question is how can AA really compete ? What do they offer the average traveler that they would pay more on AA than JBLU. AA has to charge more because their costs are a lot higher. What is the draw?
JBLU has 53 planes now it will have 300 by 2011. Are AA employees going to give more concessions? There is no way that AA could ever get their cost close to JBLU. What will AMR do?
Airlines9
The pull out from ATL was smart. The damage was done. The walk up fare from ATL-LAX was over $2000, one way, for coach before JBLU. Now that DAL double their flights & Airtran took over the fare is is $399. Another DAL bread & butter route taken away. Same thing is happening to AMR too.
How can AMR compete with JBLU when their costs are 10.31 vs 5.92. While costs at AA are going down so are the costs at JBLU. Is AA going to match JBLU fares, $158 r/t, on the BOS & JFK transcons and still give away a free R/T to Japan?
Its is known that JBLU has a far superior coach product than AA. A 34" leather seat pitch, with free 24 channels of live Direct TV. Soon to be bumped up to 36 channels of free TV, 100 channels of XM radio & movies! With more to come.
Some say that the FF program at AA is the draw. I see a lot of AA & UAL top tier FF members on JBLU. They all say the same thing. They are tired of being treated badly by AA & UAL. They know of the rows with 36" pitch. They like that they can get a great fare on short notice without any restictions. That if they change their mind they are only charge $25 vs $100 to change and even this fee is waived a lot. A few are buying a whole row for the price of one seat on AA. Many couples by 3 seats for the space.
The question is how can AA really compete ? What do they offer the average traveler that they would pay more on AA than JBLU. AA has to charge more because their costs are a lot higher. What is the draw?
JBLU has 53 planes now it will have 300 by 2011. Are AA employees going to give more concessions? There is no way that AA could ever get their cost close to JBLU. What will AMR do?
Airlines9