And we can now close this chapter.
______________________________________________
JetBlue unlikely to fly MacArthur soon
JetBlue Airlines, which had considered expanding to Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, won't be flying out of the Suffolk County airport this year, the company's chief executive said Wednesday.
David Barger, president and chief executive, said a move to add flights to MacArthur is unlikely to happen in 2013, either.
Barger, speaking at the ribbon cutting for JetBlue's new corporate headquarters in Long Island City, said the airline's recent acquisition of flight slots at LaGuardia Airport in Queens means that the number of airplanes the airline has available to add more routes has dwindled.
"That impacts other places we want to fly to," Barger said.
At the end of 2011, JetBlue won an auction for slots at LaGuardia. Barger said the pricetag was $72 million.
Barger toured MacArthur in January with U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Airport officials, with Schumer's help, have been trying to woo the discount-fare carrier to the airport.
While complimenting airport operators, Barger said JetBlue won't be setting up shop anytime soon at MacArthur.
"I don't believe we'll do it in 2012, and even 2013 is difficult," Barger said.
JetBlue on Wednesday took the wraps off its new headquarters, which will house nearly 1,000 JetBlue workers. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other politicians were on hand to cut the ribbon.
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/s...soon-1.3642816
Bookmarks