JetBlue plans Boston-Newark flights

September 01, 2010|Katie Johnston Chase, Globe Staff

JetBlue Airways plans to add daily nonstop flights from Boston to Newark in early May, opening up an expensive business route to low-fare competition as the airline adds to its steady stream of growth at Logan International Airport.

Continental Airlines is currently the only carrier that flies nonstop between the two cities, with advance-purchase round trip fares in the $800 range on its 11 daily midweek flights. JetBlue, the biggest carrier at Logan, has not yet disclosed its schedule or ticket prices between the two cities.

JetBlue spokesman Steve Stampley said the new route “is simply the latest step towards our goal to be the carrier of choice in Boston.’’

JetBlue’s move into Newark could be a preemptive strike against Southwest Airlines, which said last week it would begin flying out of Newark in March. Southwest has entered into a lease with Continental that gives Southwest access to 36 slots held by Continental at Newark Liberty International Airport. The deal, which would allow Southwest to operate 18 daily round trip flights out of Newark, is contingent on the finalization of the Continental-United Airlines merger at the end of November.

Southwest hasn’t said what cities it will serve out of Newark, but spokesman Paul Flaningan said JetBlue’s move isn’t surprising given the competition between low-cost carriers at Logan. Continental would not comment on ticket prices between Boston or Newark, or on Southwest’s entry into the Newark market, but spokeswoman Christen David said the competition with JetBlue was nothing new.