jetBlue announces P.R. operation will return to ‘pre-María levels’ this summer
jetBlue continues its long-term recovery effort for the island, and will operate up to 50 flights per day from Puerto Rico to 13 cities during the summer season.
jetBlue announced during its first quarter earnings call that its operation in Puerto Rico will reach its pre-Hurricane María levels this summer, with up to 50 daily flights between Puerto Rico and 13 cities in the mainland U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.
In the days after the hurricane made landfall, JetBlue operated more than 450 special relief flights for Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, and made a commitment to its crewmembers, customers and communities by pledging to assist in the island’s rebuilding and recovery through the 100x35jetBlue initiative.
Since that initial rebuilding stage, jetBlue has increased the number of flights it operates to and from Puerto Rico as demand has returned, and has continued operating all routes it operated prior to the hurricane, while also continuing its community efforts, the carrier noted.
To prepare for the return to a full pre-Maria flight schedule, jetBlue is hiring 51 airport operations and ground operations crewmembers for San Juan. The crewmembers-in-training will join jetBlue’s San Juan team in time for the high season in June.
To make the booking process easier for the community, jetBlue has offered temporary “pop-up” reservations centers in San Juan, providing the local community with the ability to book their flights in person with jetBlue crewmembers at centrally-located, air-conditioned in-town locations.
“JetBlue’s crewmembers, especially in Puerto Rico, have been working tirelessly to meet the community’s needs by keeping our operation going under challenging circumstances while also conducting countless relief projects locally. They have helped us get to this important milestone, and I’m grateful to them for their dedication to JetBlue’s Caring value,” said Robin Hayes, President of jetBlue Airways.
“The island’s recovery continues, and we’ve seen demand for travel to and from Puerto Rico bounce back sooner than expected. We’ve said from the start that we are committed to Puerto Rico for the long term,” he said.
“As the rallying cry in Spanish goes, ‘Puerto Rico is lifting itself.’ We’re proud to collaborate with our crewmembers, the community and partners such as the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. to help Puerto Rico not only recover, but thrive,” Hayes added.
jetBlue flies to New York, Newark, Boston, Hartford, Washington D.C., Tampa, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and the Dominican Republic from the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Out of Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández Airport, the carrier flies to New York, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. The airline also has routes to New York and Orlando from Ponce’s Mercedita Airport.
