JetBlue’s First Airbus A220-300 Featuring Incredible Comfort, Lower Operating Costs & Superior Performance Enters Scheduled...
April 26 2021 - 5:03PM
Business Wire
Game-Changing Aircraft Will Initially Operate
Between the Northeast and Florida with Second A220 Delivery
Scheduled for This Week
JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced its first Airbus A220-300
aircraft has officially entered scheduled service with the first
revenue flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to
Tampa International Airport (TPA) departing just before 5 o’clock
this evening. The aircraft – which was assembled at Airbus's U.S.
production facility in Mobile, Ala. – is scheduled to operate
between the Northeast and Florida for the next several weeks.
JetBlue’s second A220 is on track for delivery in the coming days,
with the third expected to arrive next month.
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the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210426005878/en/
JetBlue’s First Airbus A220-300 Featuring
Incredible Comfort, Lower Operating Costs and Superior Performance
Enters Scheduled Service
“We selected the Airbus A220 nearly three years ago knowing its
cost savings, superior performance and customer-friendly design
would evolve our fleet for the long-term future,” said Ursula
Hurley, head of treasury and investor relations, JetBlue. “These
factors, which initially led us to select the A220, are now more
important than ever as we navigate the new travel environment with
a steady hand and a long-term view on recovery. Today’s
introduction of our first A220 into scheduled service allows us to
continue to execute our low cost business model and enables JetBlue
to continue to offer low fares to more customers.”
The A220 boasts a nearly 30 percent lower direct operating cost
per seat than the JetBlue’s existing E190 fleet. Lower seat costs
come from both fuel and non-fuel savings. The A220 fleet will also
help to further reset JetBlue's maintenance costs well into the
decade. With a range of up to 3,350 nautical miles and a 40 percent
lower fuel burn per seat than JetBlue's E190 aircraft, the
favorable economics open the door to new markets and routes that
would have been unprofitable with JetBlue's existing fleet.
The A220 covers a wide mix of new and existing market
possibilities with excellent economics on short, medium and even
potentially transcontinental markets. This will allow for better
overall aircraft utilization and provide a competitive advantage
for JetBlue especially in short haul markets. New cities, routes
and markets will be evaluated in the future as more A220 aircraft
join the JetBlue fleet.
"Today's first JetBlue A220 commercial flight marks the
culmination of our A220 journey coming to life. Having JetBlue - an
ultramodern airline - flying customers onboard the newest and most
stylish member of its fleet captures the spirit of our vision when
we designed the A220 as a truly innovative single-aisle aircraft.
The A220 is an industry leader, setting the standard in cabin
comfort, operating economics, environmental footprint and digital
capability. Congratulations to all," said Rob Dewar, SVP, A220
Customer Satisfaction & Services and Product Policy at Airbus.
Dewar also lent his name to the first JetBlue A220 aircraft.
“The entry into service of the GTF-powered A220 for JetBlue is a
milestone moment. Pratt & Whitney and JetBlue have collaborated
closely since the airline’s first flight in 2000. We are honored
that JetBlue is confident the that GTF’s game-changing technology
will provide true value for their next-generation fleets,” said
Rick Deurloo, chief commercial officer and senior vice president at
Pratt & Whitney. “We’re honored to be a part of this momentous
milestone and we look forward to supporting JetBlue’s expansion and
their commitment to sustainable aviation.”
Spacious Seats
JetBlue’s A220 is outfitted with the Collins Meridian seat,
customized around customer feedback and featuring a number of
design elements with comfort and convenience in mind. And, in a
first for the airline’s fleet, seating is arranged in a
two-by-three configuration. Whether traveling as a couple or a
family, JetBlue’s newest plane has multiple seating options for all
party sizes.
- 140 seats with an expanded width of 18.6 inches, the widest
available for a single aisle aircraft and the widest in JetBlue’s
fleet.
- Six rows of Even More Space® seating
- Enhanced cushion comfort and adjustable headrests with premium
Ultraleather®, a softer, more breathable vegan leather
material.
- Contoured seatback design at knee level creating additional
living space for every customer.
- Custom designed seatback storage with mesh pockets, perfectly
sized for water bottles and loose items.
- Easy-to-reach in-seat power, featuring AC, USB-A, and USB-C
ports.
Keeping Customers Connected
JetBlue will build on its reputation as an industry leader in
inflight entertainment options with Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2
connectivity. With this system, JetBlue will offer every customer
aboard the A220 expanded and personalized entertainment choices in
nearly every region the airline flies (a). JetBlue is the first
airline to receive an A220 with Viasat connectivity and only US
carrier with free high speed Fly-Fi® on every plane, providing
Customers with the ability to connect an unlimited number of
devices and stream, surf, or chat during the entire flight, from
gate to gate.
- 10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screen at every seat.
- 30 channels of DIRECTV® with DVR-like pause and rewind
functionality, full seasons of shows, hundreds of movies, and
premium content from HBO & SHOWTIME.
- Picture-in-picture function.
- Enhanced, 3D flight map offering multiple ways to track time to
destination.
- Personal handheld device pairing capabilities for use as a
remote or gaming controller.
- Expanded Fly-Fi® connectivity, providing coverage to nearly the
entire JetBlue network.
Sleek Style in the Sky
JetBlue – which offers the most legroom in coach (b) – is also
maximizing the A220’s ultra-modern design to create an elevated
customer experience throughout the interior. Every aspect of the
aircraft has been meticulously customized to create the perfect
environment to deliver JetBlue’s award-winning service.
- Bigger windows for better views and creating an overall
spacious feel.
- More spacious overhead bins for additional carry-on bag
capacity.
- Custom LED mood lighting designed to provide a more soothing
inflight experience with lighting scenarios that change with time
of day or phase of flight.
- Redesigned front galley partitions to enhance customer privacy
near crew workspace.
- Lavatories featuring subway tile patterns – a nod to being New
York’s Hometown Airline® – and gender-neutral signage unique to
JetBlue.
- Custom-created front and rear wall panel patterns, which
incorporate dots and dashes from Morse code to spell out something
fun.
Economics & the Environment
The A220 is powered exclusively by Pratt & Whitney GTF
engines, which deliver double-digit improvements in fuel and carbon
emissions. Optimizing fuel burn is an important first step in
JetBlue’s cost-conscious sustainability strategy, and prioritizing
fuel-efficient aircraft and engines aligns with JetBlue’s approach
to reducing emissions. Earlier this year, JetBlue became the first
major U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic
flights, and later announced its plans to achieve net zero carbon
emissions across all operations by 2040.
Meet JetBlue’s A220:
https://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us/our-planes/A220
About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier
in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San
Juan. JetBlue carries customers across the U.S., Caribbean and
Latin America. For more information, visit jetblue.com.
(a) Fly-Fi and live television are available
on all JetBlue-operated flights. On ViaSat-2 equipped aircraft,
Fly-Fi will not be available on portions of some routes, and live
television will not be available while operating outside of the
contiguous U.S., or until the aircraft returns to the coverage
area. On all other aircraft, Fly-Fi and live television will not be
available while operating outside of the contiguous U.S., or until
the aircraft returns to the coverage area.
(b) JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach
based on average fleet-wide seat pitch for U.S. airlines.
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JetBlue Corporate Communications Tel: +1.718.709.3089
corpcomm@jetblue.com
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