JetBlue Secures Amsterdam Schiphol Slots

Originally published on Airways

New York-based JetBlue Airways (B6) has secured slots for summer flights to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS). The news comes just five weeks after the airline filed a complaint against the Dutch Government for repeatedly rejecting its slot requests.

As paxex.aero points out, although B6 plans to launch the route, it is not ready to drop the complaint as these slots are temporary. 

On March 21, in a filing with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), the airline accepted two pairs of daily slots at AMS for New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

Previously, the Dutch slot regulator ACNL denied B6 slots that were vacated by FlyBe’s bankruptcy; however, the ACNL decided to give those slots to B6 for the Summer 2023 season.

Schiphol Tower. Photo: Ikreis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A Feasible Route for jetBlue?

Even with these new slots, it would be difficult for B6 to fly to Amsterdam. The timing of FlyBe’s slots is not feasible for transatlantic flights as the afternoon arrivals would not work for a redeye flight, as PAXEX‘s Seth Miller points out.

The flights must depart JFK at 1:20 AM to arrive at FlyBe’s 3 PM arrival slot. Still, B6 accepted the slot as the airline is keen on entering the United States- Amsterdam market.

After allocating the slot, the ACNL has found earlier slots for B6 would be different on each day, which is undesirable for airlines, especially when serving premium passengers on high-value routes. 

Furthermore, the ACNL has only temporarily allocated the slots for the American carrier, meaning the airline is not guaranteed to have the slots carried through to the winter season. Also, the slots do not come with “historical rights,” meaning they are not guaranteed for the summer season in 2024.

In the airline’s filing with the DOT, B6 stated that launching flights for a short season with no guarantee of long-term operations poses a smaller likelihood of financial benefit and will be a large expense. 

Given the A321LR delivery delays, do you think B6 has the aircraft available to launch service to Amsterdam so quickly? Be sure to comment on our social media channels.