JetBlue to Temporarily Suspend Service to 16 Major U.S. Airports

JetBlue has received Department of Transportation approval to temporarily suspend service to 16 major airports across the United States through Sept. 30, citing “extremely low” demand.

JetBlue will halt flights to Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Seattle and Las Vegas, while Spirit will halt flights to six airports including Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, and Seattle.

In its filing to the DOT, JetBlue said there has been extremely low demand for its services in those cities, and that continuing to fly planes to those cities represented a “significant burden to the airline.” JetBlue added that airline passenger volumes in the U.S. have declined 97% in the week ending April 19, and U.S. airlines are averaging 12 passengers per domestic flight.

JetBlue said it “fully intends to gradually resume service to the levels prescribed (by the Transportation Department) at each of these airports as soon as it is both safe to do so and when even the slightest customer demand re-emerges.”

Spirit’s request to suspend service from six hubs was also approved for Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and Charlotte.

Under the CARES Act, air carriers receiving financial assistance are obligated to maintain scheduled service.

Delta Air Lines has asked for approval to halt flights to nine airports including three in Michigan.