JetBlue’s worst fears of being removed from Amsterdam Schiphol following new slot regulations have come true.
New slot restrictions at the airport have left JetBlue without slots. This lack of slots is for Amsterdam in the busy summer 2024 season.
No More Slots For JetBlue
Per the slot coordinator, ACNL, airlines without historic rights into Amsterdam Schiphol will not be allocated slots for the summer 2024 season.
As a result, carriers such as JetBlue do not qualify for historic rights into the airport. This means they’ll not be allocated slots next year.
ACNL says it will allocate 3.1% fewer slots to airlines, even those with historic rights, as part of a significant overhaul.
What’s Happening At Amsterdam Schiphol
The Dutch government unveiled plans to cut flights at the country’s main airport, Amsterdam Schiphol.
A staggering 10% of flights, compared with what was offered in 2019, will be cut starting next year.
Interestingly, KLM, which calls Schiphol home, has remained outspoken about its disagreement with the ruling.
KLM believes this will hurt its growth plans and limit its ability to expand and meet potential demand.
The Dutch government believe that the aviation industry brings a lot of good. However, for those living around the airport, the Transport Minister believes there are also many negatives.
Flights will ultimately be capped at 452,000 per year to address noise pollution. This, among other effects, includes environmental impacts and the struggles seen at the airport.
JetBlue In Disagreement Over New Rules
JetBlue believes removing its slots violates the US-EU Air Transport Agreement and has filed a complaint.
The airline also called for Air France-KLM to be banned from operating out of New York JFK.
This is meant to keep the industry on a level playing field and prevent other carriers from gaining an advantage if JetBlue is banned from these markets.
Ultimately, JetBlue’s Amsterdam service began only in the third quarter, after being announced in April 2023.
The lack of slots is therefore a blow to its transatlantic network, which continued to grow with more destinations and capacity increases.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Fowkes is a Melbourne-based aviation analyst and journalist with over a decade of industry experience. As founder of Dj’s Aviation, he delivers trusted analysis on aircraft, airline strategy and global aviation trends for djsaviation.net
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