In a hint about its third transatlantic destination, JetBlue is advertising a General Manager position in Geneva, Switzerland. The American hybrid carrier currently flies to London and plans to add Paris next year but has not revealed which other cities it will add, if any. However, hiring an operations team is the first step in building any base, so what is JetBlue planning next?
More planes, more cities
As JetBlue’s A321LR fleet expands, the airline is eying more destinations in Europe. Our latest hint of a new route came from LinkedIn, where the airline is looking to add a General Manager based in Geneva. Having an employee in any new destination is a strong sign that the airline is strongly considering plans to launch flights.
While nothing is confirmed, and it will likely be months before any official comment, Geneva isn’t a surprising choice for the carrier. While hubs like Amsterdam, Frankfurt, or Madrid might spring as obvious choices, Geneva offers a good balance of leisure and business traffic, which is key for JetBlue.
Assuming the route kicks off from New York JFK (a likely pick), Geneva Airport (GVA) is well within the range of the Airbus A321LR. At 3,357 nautical miles, it falls comfortably in the 4,000NM range available to the carrier for its long-haul adventures, even if it will be JetBlue’s longest route to date.
The competition
Depending on when flights begin (with the earliest being summer 2023), JetBlue will have up to three competitors on the route. This winter, only United and home carrier SWISS are serving Geneva from New York, both offering 1x daily connections. Effective April 10th, Delta is also starting flights to Geneva, adding a new competitor to the Star Alliance-dominated route.
JetBlue will be the fourth airline to offer connections between the two cities, giving it stiff competition. However, JetBlue is unlikely to shy away, given its presence at London Heathrow and Paris CDG next year. With lower fares and a unique offering, the carrier will hope its magic works in Switzerland as well.
However, before you start making plans to fly the narrowbody across the Atlantic, it’s important to note that the route may never come to fruition. JetBlue’s decision to hire an operational manager in Geneva is far from a public statement and changing circumstances in the coming months could well derail plans.
A look at JetBlue’s A321LR
The buzz about Geneva comes just one week after JetBlue confirmed that Paris would indeed be its second European city. While the announcement was very much expected, the carrier’s growth in the transatlantic market is an exciting development. On all of its long-haul routes, the airline deploys its uniquely-configured Airbus A321LRs.
The A321LR only features 138 seats, 114 in standard, 3-3 economy, and 24 Mint Suites. The suites are laid out in a 1-1 configuration and include two ‘Mint Studios’ in the first row for an extra charge. Despite operating narrowbodies, JetBlue has ensured it can replicate the luxury experience offered by legacy carriers at the front. Further back in economy, the airline offers some of the largest seats in the market and an interesting meal offering on all its flights.
