JetBlue Airways will launch daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) from New York JFK in summer 2023 following a struggle to gain a foothold in the market and appeals to the U.S. Transportation Department for assistance.
Seasonal slots were granted in early March by AMS slot coordinator Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL), though JetBlue raised concerns over their temporary duration and “commercially questionable” timings. The New York-based airline’s decision to begin service in late summer comes after a Dutch court ruled that a State plan to limit annual flight movements “has not followed the correct procedure,” and would not be allowed to proceed.
The ruling is “giving JetBlue confidence there is room for it to enter the market,” the airline said.
JetBlue previously argued that the policy—which sought to reduce takeoffs and landings at Schiphol by 12% to 440,000 a year—would prioritize carriers with existing access, stating, “In other words, new entrants will be indefinitely excluded from AMS once the Balanced Approach is implemented.” Several airlines including British Airways, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Lufthansa and United Airlines had also opposed the planned limit, which was slated to begin in November with an initial cap of 460,000.
JetBlue’s new daily service will begin in late summer onboard an Airbus A321LR, with exact start dates set to be announced in the coming weeks.
“This route is long overdue for some competition,” JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said.
Amsterdam Schiphol will be JetBlue’s third European city destination once service to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) begins in June, joining existing London routes to both Heathrow (LHW) and Gatwick (LGW). It also plans to add AMS service from Boston, subject to receipt of government operating authority.
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