JetBlue Barred From Amsterdam; Wants KLM Banned From JFK as Retribution

by Anthony Losanno
JetBlue

Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) will reduce its annual flight cap in 2024. The Dutch government implemented this flight cap at the country’s largest airport. It will take effect the summer of 2024 and reduce its current 500,000 annual cap to 452,500 annual flights next year. As part of this reduction, the airport is forced to cut flights and an airline entirely in the case of JetBlue.

JetBlue launched flights between two routes this past summer: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to/from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS). Unfortunately, they will have to cancel these routes in 2024 according to a Bloomberg article published today.

Amsterdam

They’re not alone. By summer 2024, 24 airlines without historical rights at the airport will not have any takeoff or landing slots. Those with historical slots will need to reduce traffic by 3.1% during the first stage of cuts.

Now, One Mile at a Time is reporting that JetBlue wants the Department of Transportation (DOT) to take a reciprocal action and ban The Netherlands’ flag carrier, KLM, from New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) as payback. JetBlue stated in the filing:

If the Dutch Government is allowed to effectively expel new entrant JetBlue from AMS without facing any consequential and proportional countermeasures from the Department, other governments may decide to follow suit.”

It’s clear that JetBlue is upset with this loss, but I’m not sure it will amount to anything. KLM is the largest carrier at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and will be the most impacted by the slot reductions. JetBlue’s request is nothing more than revenge and it has no explanation for the request other than it wants to lash out.

Anthony’s Take: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) will be cutting its slots by around 10%. It seems like the airport is trying to be fair by honoring those that have been flying there the longest, but JetBlue will definitely feel the brunt of this new restriction.

User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.

Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

2 comments

Courtney November 2, 2023 - 1:53 pm

I agree with Jet Blue.

Reply
SuperDave November 3, 2023 - 1:57 pm

Why are they cutting back flights? Makes no sense if they can sustain 500k/yr…

Kick em out of JFK then!

Reply

Leave a Comment

Related Articles