Jetblue and Aer Lingus to form strategic alliance

[RDU-JFK]

http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehy ... ews&rpc=44


Possible nickname: JetGreen? :lol:

[Winglets747]

Ireland's Aer Lingus (AERL.I: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Tuesday it planned to form a strategic alliance with U.S. airline JetBlue (JBLU.O: Quote, Profile , Research), forming what it said was the world's first tie-up between two international low-cost carriers.

What about AirTran and F9? AirTran serves the Bahamas and F9 serves Canada and Mexico.

On another note, this new alliance is interesting, if not perplexing. I can't imagine a huge growth or change in market share for either airline considering US-Ireland is mostly a leisure route (perhaps jetBlue has to start somewhere with a partner?). I wonder if we'll see any increase in EI flights to JFK as a result of this alliance.

Will

[Nonstop2AUH]

This is mainly about getting Irish (and connecting Brits) to Orlando, which is a HUGE destination over there. Makes a lot of sense to me!

[Iberia A340-600]

This is mainly about getting Irish (and connecting Brits) to Orlando, which is a HUGE destination over there. Makes a lot of sense to me!

So once Aer Lingus receives their two new A330's and if they start a DUB-MIA or DUB-MCO flight does that mean that the alliance would end?

However by starting this alliance it suggest Aer Lingus might not go for a DUB-MIA/MCO flight.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Didn't know Aer Lingus was considering direct to Florida from over there, that would be cool.

I guess this deal opens up alot of places to budget travelers from across the pond, but in terms of numbers I would say the most popular are going to be Orlando and Las Vegas which seem to be the big US leisure markets there. Those are where you tend to find Globespan, MyTravel, etc.

[PhilDernerJr]

I read yesterday that Bloomberg was in Ireland promoting tourism in New York. Sounds like a big plan.

[Nonstop2AUH]

There's an official promotion going on in Ireland, called Next Stop New York, but the partner airline is apparently Delta (see below)...

http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=1728

[Winglets747]

Didn't know Aer Lingus was considering direct to Florida from over there, that would be cool.

Aer Lingus has served MCO on and off, so this is more than Florida.

[Mateo]

Bloomberg made a visit to "promote tourism" in Western Ireland mostly because the Falcon needed a fuel stop on the way back from Tel Aviv! He was in Israel to dedicate a new Magen David Adom (Israeli branch of the Red Cross) station in Jerusalem that was named for his father.

[h2opunk1822]

From the Jetblue crewmember website!

JetBlue is in early discussions with Aer Lingus on a creative new marketing agreement, where Aer Lingus Customers will be able to book JetBlue flights directly on aerlingus.com. Aer Lingus is Ireland’s low-cost airline, with a business model very similar to ours. They currently operate flights to New York’s JFK and Boston’s Logan airports, and can extend their network through direct sales to JetBlue’s network at these locations through their website. Aer Lingus, currently a member of the oneworld airline alliance, will leave that alliance April 1, 2007.

JetBlue is the largest airline at JFK, where nearly 100 airlines from more than 50 countries operate daily service. International airlines without a U.S. airline partner continue to express interest in partnering with JetBlue to provide domestic and Caribbean service for their Customers. JetBlue benefits by gaining access to a vibrant new stream of Customers.

We’ll keep you informed of progress on this and other innovative marketing agreements with international airlines.