Long Beach airport: JetBlue rightsizes after rebuff; slots reallocated

Most US airports are working feverishly to broaden their international portfolios or secure their first international flights. But early in 2018 community activists enjoyed success from a years-long campaign to block JetBlue from launching international service from the airport to Mexico and Central America.

Unsurprisingly, JetBlue now plans to shrink its presence at Long Beach, which became a focus city for the airline after it launched flights from the airport in 2001. The airline is spreading some services to other Los Angeles area airports, and adding some seasonal leisure destinations from the airport.

JetBlue's decision to adjust its schedule in Long Beach does open up opportunities from the airport for other airlines when JetBlue surrenders its slots at the airport in Sep-2018. Hawaiian Airlines is already launching flights after JetBlue relinquished one of its slots that allowed its codeshare partner to launch service from the airport.