JetBlue Sees Europe ‘as a Great Opportunity’

JetBlue today announced an amendment to its existing purchase agreement with Airbus to increase the number of Mint-configured A321s, and add the option to acquire A321LRs (“LR” for long range) beginning in 2019.

Adding more aircraft to the fleet with premium-cabin Mint accommodations is consistent with JetBlue’s claims for the service’s popularity. According to the airline: “Mint has surpassed our expectations on every customer and financial measure. Mint won over customers in a big way and has transformed the performance of our transcontinental franchise. We have only scratched the surface on what Mint can do to disrupt the valuable coast-to-coast market.”

The airline currently serves 12 percent of the transcon market, and “Mint opens a significant opportunity for the airline to capture additional share.” It’s not just the transcon, either; since launching service between New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco, the airline has added Mint flights to Las Vegas and Seattle, and several Caribbean destinations.

And the A321LR option? “Our intention is that will be a plane that will give us trans-Atlantic range,” according to a JetBlue spokesman quoted in Skift. “We certainly see Europe as a great opportunity.”

So, the transcon today, the transatlantic tomorrow. There’s plenty of disruption left for Mint to accomplish.

Reader Reality Check

Affordable premium-service flights to Europe, anyone?

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.