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JetBlue Airways Begins Las Vegas Service

LAS VEGAS--When JetBlue Airways Flight 280 touched down at McCarran International Airport shortly before noon Thursday, it marked a new chapter in the upstart carrier's short but rapidly evolving history.

In less than three years, the Kew Gardens, N.Y.-based airline has flown more than 8 million people to 20 different markets in the United States and Puerto Rico.

The addition of three to six daily flights between Las Vegas and the carrier's West Coast base in Long Beach, Calif., was the first step in a long-term strategy to develop JetBlue's operations in Las Vegas, the nation's seventh-largest air market, said Dave Barger, JetBlue president and chief operating officer.

"When you run (a hub) out of Long Beach, Las Vegas should be part of the system," said Barge, who arrived in town aboard the carrier's sold-out inaugural flight. "We're here for good, so you start to take a look at what's the next logical step and I wouldn't be surprised to see service to New York in the not too distant future."

Still, Barger said it's too soon to speculate when such a change might occur. He added airline executives will monitor factors such as passenger loads, fare structures and aircraft availability to better determine when JetBlue might expand locally.

Harry Kassap, who handles market development for the Clark County Department of Aviation, said he's anxiously awaited the arrival of JetBlue, which was recently named the best coach airline by Conde Nast Traveler.

"I can finally answer the question everyone has been asking me prior to this day, which was 'When is JetBlue coming to Las Vegas?' " said Kassap, who echoed Barger's hopes that JetBlue will soon expand at McCarran.

"We're extremely hopeful that this is just the beginning," Kassap said. He added the airport has already approached JetBlue about adding non-stop flights to its main hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, as well as Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport, and Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Fla.

"The target for us would be long-haul service," Kassap said. "(Negotiations) are far enough along that this could happen in short order, hopefully within the next 24 months."

Although JetBlue recently reported second-quarter net income of $14.6 million, up 37 percent compared with the same period one year ago, Kassap cautioned that uncertainty in the airline industry could delay the carrier's expansion schedule.

"People are fearful of war and what that might do to oil prices and the effect that might have on an airline's ability to grow," Kassap said.

Growth has been the operative word at JetBlue since it launched Feb. 11, 2000, with one round-trip route between JFK and Florida's Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. A second route linking JFK with Buffalo, N.Y., was added six days later, and the airline has continued to pick up new markets as business improved. Thursday's debut of service to Las Vegas raised JetBlue's market total to 20.

No new routes will be added this year, but Barger said two to three markets, which have yet to be determined, are scheduled to come online next year. To handle that projected growth, JetBlue will supplement its fleet of 31 planes with five new aircraft before the end of this year. By the close of 2003, the carrier expects to operate 50 aircraft.

Like McCarran's No. 1 carrier, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, JetBlue markets itself as a low-cost passenger airline that takes prides in its on-time flight performance rating (95.3 percent in September).

Unlike Southwest, however, JetBlue's service is far from no-frills. Each of the 162 seats on JetBlue's Airbus A320 aircraft is covered in leather, and passengers are given free access to a satellite television system offering 24 channels of live programming at no extra charge.

JetBlue spent $200,000 to $225,000 for capital improvements associated with its Las Vegas service. It has 17 local employees paired with an additional 33 contract workers, Barger said.

Coupled with local infrastructure improvements under way in Clark County, Nevada Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt said JetBlue's presence could further boost local tourism figures.

"We're working hard to continue to make it easier and easier for people to visit Las Vegas and the entire state, and (the addition of JetBlue) is another effort toward that goal," Hunt said. "We know this is going to bring in a lot of our short-haul California market people. ... Soon we'll have the monorail completed so people can fly in from California and easily get from one hotel to another."

Rob Powers, vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, also said the airline's presence will be important to future economic growth in the area.

"Las Vegas is all about growth, evolution, and change. None of that would be possible without the commitment of airlines such as JetBlue to serve (the city)," Powers said.

-- The company operates three to six daily nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Long Beach, Calif. There passengers can connect to other markets served by the airline.

-- Introductory fares from McCarran include $24 (each way) tickets to Long Beach. Tickets for one-stop service between Las Vegas and Oakland, Calif., are available for $54 each way, while one-stop connecting service to New York or Washington, D.C., can be purchased for $139 each way.

-- Discounted tickets must be purchased seven to 14 days in advance, depending upon destination, and all travel must be completed by Dec. 17.

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