Jamaica is Jet Blue's fastest growing market

Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:03 AM

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Airline holds inauguration flight out of Kingston

By Ingrid Brown Senior Sunday Finance Reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of JetBlue Airways Rob Maruster yesterday lauded Jamaica, one of its 14 international destination, as its fastest growing market in the airline's ten year history, having flown some 25,000 passengers to the island since it began offering a non-stop service between New York and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay in May.

"On behalf of all 12,000 crew members we couldn't be more excited to have Jamaica be the country we have grown the fastest in," he said.

Philbert Giddings, a passenger of JetBlue's inaugural flight to Kingston is greeted by Rhonda Blair, general manager out of California and Scott Link, JetBlue's regional director as he disembark the plane at Norman Manley International Airport on Friday (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

The United States carrier is hoping to reap similar success flying out of Kingston and if Friday's inauguration flight, carrying 140 passengers, is any indication, then the airline seems set to take a significant share of the market.

Carrying 10 passengers less than its 150-seat Airbus A320 aircraft capacity, the airline touched down at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on time, much to the delight of passengers who beamed with satisfaction at the service received.

The leather seats, added leg room and individual seatback televisions, all for what has been described as "super affordable prices', were also a definite plus for the passengers interviewed by Sunday Finance.

Passenger Philbert Giddings beamed with satisfaction as he commended the airline for the hospitality received onboard. "We really needed this type of competition because the fares are very affordable and I intend to travel with them when I am coming back here," he said.

Eion Saunders of ZYNC Television, out of New York, who came to cover the inauguration ceremony for the Diaspora audience, said Jamaicans will be supporting the JetBlue flights to Kingston because of "the affordable fares" and "great service". He welcomed the competition, noting that although many persons will still remain loyal to Jamaica's national carrier Air Jamaica, JetBlue will be able to command a significant share of the market.

Maruster, in his remarks during the ceremony to mark JetBlue's inaugural daily flight from New York to Kingston and back, said it is only fitting that the airline is able to punctuate its year with its last city opening in 2009 by coming to Kingston.

Montego Bay, he said, has been one of the most successful new market launched in the airline's history.

The success of that market, he said, has led to a possible second winter flight between New York and Montego Bay as well as a new service between Orlando and Montego Bay starting next February and a Saturday-only non-stop service from Boston next January.

Speaking to Sunday Finance, Maruster said the company credits the fast growing market not only to ties to the Jamaican culture through some of its crew members and employees but also the Jamaican population in New York.

"It is not just that we can get tourist into the island to spend American money it is about people visiting family and friends and we have a lot of customers in New York, Boston and even Orlando who were demanding Jamaican service because they had business in Jamaica," he said.

He said there has been a huge demand for JetBlue in the Caribbean in general but Jamaica has been a huge part of that success, flying at an average of 90 per cent full everyday.

Given the success of Montego Bay, he said they immediately launched plan for Kingston.

He said they intend to keep fares low and reasonable so people have an incentive to travel and longer term figure out where Jamaicans want to fly to out of Jamaica.

Other Caribbean destinations that the airline flies to include Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Aruba, St Maarten, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Bermuda and the Bahamas.

In welcoming the airline to Kingston, Transport Minister Mike Henry said Government is pursuing the Open Sky Agreement to open up travel from Jamaica to numerous countries.

Government is also pursuing new air service agreement with some 25 countries, Henry said.

"We are looking for the link between Singapore- China- Africa Jamaica and then onwards to Peru, Chile Uruguay etc," he noted.

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