Gedosev, JetBlue general manager Europe, joined the carrier from then-Exeter based Flybe, and took delivery of her JetBlue laptop on the first day of lockdown. She has overseen everything from negotiating its slots to persuading UK agents to put faith in the carrier.
It clearly worked; JetBlue will mark one year in the UK next month after launching flights from JFK to Heathrow and Gatwick. “We weren’t really sure which airport we were going to, [and] ended up at both,” Gedosev says, adding JetBlue operates a double airport policy in many US cities.
JetBlue has cemented its place in both UK airports after gaining a second permanent Heathrow slot this winter. “Heathrow wants us to stay; they have definitely seen the benefit we’ve brought,” she adds. The carrier will also launch a second daily Gatwick-JFK flight from 29 October, while a further statement of intent are its new Boston routes, which begin from Gatwick on 5 August and Heathrow on 22 September.
JetBlue boasts load factors “in the 80%s”, which Gedosev attributes to working with the trade. “In the US, we’re very well-known – most bookings come from the website. In the UK, we knew the travel trade would be very important. From the time we entered the UK, we started working with agents. We’ve developed relationships, listened and continue to nurture them.”
Gedosev believes starting in the UK with no legacy issues like pandemic refunds has been an advantage with agents who want something fresh. Marketing efforts will be slanted towards the trade, she says, to avoid a consumer campaign getting lost against those of bigger competitors, while the carrier last week secured the services of a second senior sales manager – Maris Kuklis.
JetBlue is a sizeable airline with nearly 300 aircraft. It is the sixth largest US carrier, serving more than 100 destinations and operating 900 flights a day to the Americas and Caribbean. However, its transatlantic operation is tiny and not yet a household name to the average British consumer.
With 138 seats on its single-aisle aircraft, including 24 enclosed flatbeds in its Mint business cabin, Gedosev admits JetBlue will never rival British Airways for capacity or frequency. She says the carrier has had to make itself attractive in different ways, such as by courting the trade. For the consumer, JetBlue points to benefits like food service for all economy passengers, free Wi-Fi and live TV.
Unlike UK airlines, JetBlue was able to take advantage of the early restart of US domestic flights, meaning it had cash in the bank. As well as the transatlantic launch, Gedosev mentions how JetBlue went “on the offence” during the pandemic, launching 33 routes in the US.
The carrier is “quite happy” with its UK venture, she insists, having launched with “very low fares”. Mint fares hover around £2,300 return, with economy £330-£350. Heathrow and Gatwick have emerged as distinct markets for JetBlue, Gedosev says, with Heathrow being “very much the corporate customer or high-end leisure going to New York and beyond”. “The leisure customer at Gatwick is connecting,” she adds. “It’s a lot of Mexico and Caribbean, west- or east-coast US.”
With its sights set firmly ahead, JetBlue has 26 extended range Airbus A321s on order that can reach mainland Europe. “We’re expecting three this year, which will serve Boston-London,” Gedosev explains. “We’re looking for opportunities here in the UK.”
She names Manchester as one possibility (“we’ve not said yes or no”), plus Dublin, where – ironically – its relationship with Aer Lingus means the JetBlue name is already familiar to consumers travelling to the US. She stresses any new route will be chosen from the viewpoint of US travellers. Does that mean Florida is unlikely? “We’re extremely big in Orlando, so you never know,” she says.
Meanwhile, JetBlue will mark its first year as a transatlantic carrier as headline partner for The Travel Industry Awards by TTG on 29 September. “With one year in the UK and the launch of Boston, it’s a perfect time to celebrate JetBlue in the UK. It’s also the perfect opportunity for us to recognise the trade is back. We want to thank them, they worked under a lot of pressure during the pandemic,” Gedosev says.
It was a brave decision by JetBlue to launch transatlantic flights mid-pandemic, but Gedosev’s lockdown project seems to have paid off handsomely. “It was like light at the end of the tunnel, the excitement kept us going.”
