JetBlue hanging on to Embraer jets

JetBlue is delaying retirement plans for half of its 60 Embraer E190 aircraft due to growth opportunities provided by its new Northeast Alliance with American Airlines. 

JetBlue had planned to retire all of its E190s as it takes delivery of 70 larger and more efficient Airbus A220-300 planes. JetBlue’s E190s have 100 seats while its A220s have 140 seats. The carrier plans to take delivery of 60 A220s by 2025, with 10 additional aircraft to be delivered after that. 

Speaking during the carrier’s earnings call on July 26, JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley explained that JetBlue has decided to continue flying the E190s that it owns until a yet-to-be-determined time.

“We’re keeping them in the fleet to capture the Northeast Alliance opportunity that is in front of us,” Hurley said, according to a transcript from the investment site Seeking Alpha.

JetBlue will move ahead with retiring its 30 leased E190s between 2023 and 2026. 

JetBlue and American launched the Northeast Alliance on flights out of the Boston and the New York area in February. The carriers say that so far this year consumers have gained access to 57 new routes and more than 110 

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