JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) has committed to purchasing twelve A320-200s, which were set to be returned to lessors, and return them to service in order to cope with near-term growth constraints stemming from the Pratt & Whitney engine recalls.
US journalist Seth Miller reported that N503JB (msn 1123) is set to be one of the airframes that will return to JetBlue’s fleet, following a retrofit into a new 162-seat configuration and updated inflight entertainment as with the rest of the hybrid carrier's fleet. The plane was ferried to Marana on August 2023, FlightRadar24 ADS-B data shows, and has not operated since.
ch-aviation’s research has revealed that two other stored JetBlue A320s, N509JB (msn 1270) and N510JB (msn 1280), were recently moved from Marana to México City International, where they may be undergoing maintenance with Mexicana MRO Services.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows eleven A320-200s in JetBlue’s fleet still with the older 150-seat configuration (108 in economy and 42 in economy plus) namely: N503JB, N504JB (msn 1156), N505JB (msn 1173), N506JB (msn 1235), N516JB (msn 1302), N517JB (msn 1327), N519JB (msn 1398), N520JB (msn 1446), N521JB (msn 1452), N523JB (msn 1506), and N524JB (msn 1528).
JetBlue was not immediately available for comment.
It recently confirmed it is working towards reaching a compensation agreement with Pratt & Whitney but did not disclose the amount. The carrier expects an average of 11 aircraft (between A321-200NX and A220-300s) to be out of service for the remainder of the year due to the GTF issue. The groundings will peak “in the low teens” in the late second to early third quarter.
The US carrier has further optionality and could extend the life of approximately thirty A320s in total, representing about 10% of its fleet, Ursula Hurley, chief financial officer, said.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows JetBlue’s fleet comprises 304 aircraft, including twenty-nine A220-300s, 130 A320-200s, sixty-three A321-200s, twenty-three A321-200NX, eleven A321-200NX(LR)s, and forty-eight E190s.
