JetBlue to scale back Newark, LaGuardia operations, CNBC reports

JetBlue Airways

17/06/2026 18:21

    June 17 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways JBLU.O plans to close its flight attendant base at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport and tech operations bases there and at New York's LaGuardia this fall, CNBC reported on Wednesday.
The move is part of efforts to cut costs and strengthen service in Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport, a profitable hub for JetBlue where it counts as the top carrier, the report said.
JetBlue held a 13% share of airline seats across five airports in the New York metropolitan area, including Newark, LaGuardia and JFK, at the end of 2025, according to its annual report.
The airline told CNBC that the stop in operations would not lead to staff losing their jobs; instead they could "bid or transfer to other bases". 
Earlier this year, JetBlue flagged plans to slow hiring, cut capacity and hike fares to soften the blow ‌from soaring jet fuel costs that threatens to derail the carrier's ongoing turnaround efforts.
The company, however, said it would continue expanding in South Florida, leveraging increased gate availability in that region.

 (Reporting by Aatreyee Dasgupta and Nandan Mandayam in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
 ((Aatreyee.Dasgupta@thomsonreuters.com;))