JetBlue sees an opportunity to mine Fort Lauderdale as Spirit turns its attention elsewhere

JetBlue Airways believes more opportunities exist to expand into Latin America from its southern Florida stronghold of Fort Lauderdale so it can capitalise on the short ramp-up to profitability afforded by those routes. Shifting market dynamics make the opportunity more ripe for JetBlue as Fort Lauderdale's other major carrier Spirit Airlines has turned its attention to US domestic expansion from the airport.

At the same time JetBlue is not hesitating to increase competition with Spirit, betting that its higher-end product at an only marginally higher fare will entice some travellers away from Spirit's bare-bones, no-frills service.

Fort Lauderdale was JetBlue's first destination from its JFK base when it launched scheduled flights 13 years ago. Since that time Fort Lauderdale has played a key role in the carrier's build-up of North-South passengers along the US eastern corridor. But during the last few years the airport and its geographical location in South Florida have played a particularly strategic role as the carrier worked to aggressively expand into the Caribbean and Latin America.