Even though JetBlue is enjoying comfortable market share with the Port-of-Spain/New York and Port-of-Spain/Ft Lauderdale routes, the airline continues to closely monitor the trends in demand for those routes. Two travel agencies have confirmed that Jet Blue has one afternoon flight every day of the week, to both destinations. Right now, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) operates 29 flights to New York in a weekly basis and seven flights to Ft Lauderdale.
In February 2014, JetBlue officially announced it would be flying the Port-of-Spain/New York route and that it planned to increase routes from T&T to other destinations with Ft Lauderdale the next destination to be added.
With CAL flying those same routes, this means that JetBlue is one of CAL's competitors. Other factors which CAL has to face is that it does not yet have a chief executive officer.
In October 2015, it was announced that Michael DiLollo had resigned and that the chief financial officer, Tyrone Tang, had been appointed the acting chief executive officer. The other factor is that, in January 2016, the airline would be dropping its London route.
Business Guardian continues to monitor how the factors in CAL's external environment impact its operations specifically competition.
In a statement, Catalina Breton, Ramirez director of international planning and commercial, JetBlue, said the airline is contented with the performance of the routes because the flights help bring new visitors to discover T&T, facilitate business travel while, at the same time, assist in bringing families together.
Ramirez leads JetBlue's sales, marketing and public relations/corporate communications efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) segment in North America. Breton also oversees internal and external efforts in launching JetBlue's new international destinations and in enhancing the JetBlue experience for international customers.
Describing the demand for the routes as going "well", Ramirez said the trends in demand have been as expected, "with certain peak periods as well as lower-demand seasons.
"When demand has peaked in the summer, JetBlue has added a second daily flight to JFK, and we will continue to monitor the market and make adjustments as needed such as we did in the summer. We continue to watch the market closely and, as expected when JetBlue enters the market, there have been low fares available for our customers."
Competition is not a deterrent for JetBlue as the airline's strategic goal is to stimulate demand in the markets which it operates in.
"We continue to compete in the Port-of-Spain market by offering low fares, a reliable schedule and the first checked bag free. Trinidadians have responded well to JetBlue's unique combination of low fares and high-quality service and amenities that include the most leg room in coach, unlimited snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, free inflight entertainment at every seat, and award-winning service that has earned JetBlue the coveted JD Power award for customer satisfaction 11 years in a row."
Asked whether the airline would be willing to partner with CAL in a code sharing agreement, Ramirez said: "We enjoy mutually beneficial partnerships with more than 40 airlines throughout the world, and are in constant discussions with an array of potential partners. However, we are unable to speculate on any potential future partnerships."
Adding that: "What we've found is that since we offer low fares on a regular basis, when there is a dip in demand, it's less extreme, since Customers still find a value in the fares being offered. We continue to monitor each market and adjust fares according to the needs of that market."
Overall, the airline said it adjusts to suit the patterns in demand.
"We work to schedule our flights to meet the existing demand. When we enter a market, we see that as an investment and will work to offer consistent schedules. At this time, our routes remain steady and are thriving. If we see that there is a spike in demand, we make every effort to increase the number of seats."
In a news conference after its inaugural flight to T&T, Jeffrey Goodell, vice-president of government affairs for JetBlue Airways Corporation, had said T&T has always been on the airline's list.
"This is a market that we knew that JetBlue will do well in and it was a matter of finding the right time, a time when there was an eagerness for additional airlift and the value that JetBlue can bring to T&T and a time when our expansion reached the right point," he said.
About competition he said: "We compete with airlines from all over the western hemisphere. We think competition is not only in our interest. It keeps us on our toes and it ensures that we are offering our customers the best experience."