JetBlue Fortifies Bond with Emirates
JetBlue Airways (JBLU) and Middle Eastern behemoth Emirates are contemplating on extending their ongoing three-year partnership by including bilateral codesharing.
With the receipt of necessary approvals from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DoT), all jets of Emirates flying between the U.S. and Dubai International Airport will carry the "B6" airline code of JetBlue. The emblem will also be placed on aircraft operating between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (:JFK) and Milan, Italy.
From Apr 2012, Emirates started putting up its sign on some JetBlue-operated flights, broadening the interline agreement that was inked in 2010. Currently, Emirates cover 28 destinations on JetBlue-operated flights via codeshare routes including Boston, Chicago, Orlando and Puerto Rico. The service has been extended to many other spots, including Bridgetown, Cancun, Montego Bay, Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, from March this year.
The agreement benefited customers by enabling them to travel with a single combined ticket for Emirates and JetBlue flights along with the advantages of one-stop check-in and baggage transfer. Further, passengers can win reward points for the respective customer-loyalty programs of the airlines – Emirates and JetBlue – and redeem them on the other carrier.
Through the pact with JetBlue, Emirates – serving 133 destinations in 77 countries across six continents – not only aims to make a strong presence in the U.S. market but also to attract more tourists from the nation to its home ground in Dubai. On the other hand, JetBlue is confident of Emirates’ vast network and excellence in service offering and believes that the alliance will render an easy and comfortable flying option for customers across the globe.
JetBlue holds the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet – consisting of 127 Airbus A320 aircraft and 54 EMBRAER 190 aircraft – among the other major U.S. airlines such as United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL), Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) and Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV). The company is also set to receive the first ever US-assembled jets from Airbus by 2016.
JetBlue currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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