JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) has firmed up a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus's C Series Aircraft consortium for sixty A220-300s and options for an additional sixty of the type.
In a presentation issued in July last year marking the MOU's initial signing, the New York-based budget carrier said the first five firm-ordered aircraft would deliver in 2020 followed by four in 2021, eight in 2022, 19 in 2023, 22 in 2024, and two in 2025. The optioned jets, if exercised, will arrive from 2025 through to 2028.
Collectively, the A220s will replace jetBlue's existing fleet of sixty E190s whose flying will be reduced from 2020 onwards before being phased out entirely by around 2025. In a follow-up move, jetBlue also cancelled twenty-four E190 jets still on order from the Brazilians.
As it stands, jetBlue's Airbus order backlog stands at eighty-five A321neo. In his year-end statement to employees in December seen by ch-aviation, jetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said the LCC would make an announcement regarding its interest in the A321neo(LR) at some point in 2019. The type has been linked to jetBlue's often mentioned transatlantic service plans.
“This aircraft could open up new and exciting markets for us,” he said adding that London was a potential destination from Boston and New York.
