Sometimes, it pays to have good timing. A fellow airline dork came across a very interesting message on the JetBlue website. Unless there’s some sort of technical glitch, it appears that JetBlue will be starting up a Portland (Oregon) focus city on October 9. Flights will begin that day to Long Beach, Austin, Chicago/O’Hare, and Las Vegas. Don’t believe me? Head to jetblue.com or just take a look at this screen shot.
I tend to think that the IT team screwed up and put this up there too early. My guess is that we’ll see an announcement as soon as tomorrow, but really who knows? Those other flights on there have already been announced. Richmond to Orlando came out yesterday, White Plains to Tampa came out today, and so did Washington/Dulles to three new sun destinations.
So, I’d imagine we’ll see the announcement that the airline is going to bump up service in the Rose City come out very soon. This is an interesting move, and Alaska won’t be happy. Last time someone tried this, I believe I was able to fly a Delta MD-11 up to Portland from LAX. Ok, so that was more about Delta creating a Pacific gateway, but this is still not exactly a place full of successful airline moves.
One thing I’m curious about is the Long Beach flights. Where did that slot (or slots) come from? My first guess is San Jose, because there have been some low fares in there lately. Something tells me business hasn’t been so great. But maybe it will come out of the long haul world instead. Time will tell.
UPDATE 7/16 @ 814a: I’ve received word that only Portland to Long Beach will be starting. The press release will be going out soon. That means the others are connecting opportunities. Two daily flights – the first starts October 9 and the second on November 2.
Southbound
PDX 730a LGB 945a (begins 10/10)
PDX 210p LGB 425 p (begins 11/2)
Northbound
LGB 1110a PDX 135p (begins 11/2)
LGB 505p PDX 730p (begins 10/9)
Also, I’m told that slots will come as a result of the usual “pulldowns from Long Beach in the off-season (mostly transcons).”
9 comments on “JetBlue to Make Portland Oregon a Focus City (or Is it a Glitch?)”
I am hearing it may be a mistake. Confirm with JetBlue?
DRG – I just received word that it’s only PDX-LGB that’s starting and the rest are connecting. I’ve updated the post with the flight times.
That’s what I call responsive journalism. Reuters could take a lesson (they never did update that headline in which they said that ExpressJet was “suspending commercial operations.”
HEY CF,
Check this out. B6 has the same error message for IND to LGB/OAK/SJC/SMF/LAS/SLC. I heard they are going to load IND-LGB and connect it to the other cities.
Funny guy, OAG. Are you just trying to get my hopes up and smash them? ;)
I guess they meant you will be able to BOOK these markets, due to connecting opportunities.
The press release mentions:
“Portland customers traveling to destinations beyond Long Beach may take advantage of easy connecting service to seven additional cities including Austin, Tex.; Boston; Chicago (O’Hare); Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Las Vegas; New York (JFK); and Washington (Dulles”
OK, I can see how someone flying from PDX to AUS would be able to do so via a connection in LGB. PDX-LGB arrives LGB at 09:45, and the LGB-AUS flight departs at 10:20 which allows for a 35-minute connection. But how are passengers supposed to make the return trip? The only AUS-LGB flight departs AUS at 17:47 and arrives LGB at 18:58, nearly two hours AFTER the last LGB-PDX flight departs LGB at 17:05.
What would be so wrong about making PDX a focus city? They have the best airport-to-city connection in the country.