JetBlue hits pause on plans for seasonal Halifax-Boston flight
New | Aly Thomson | CBC Information | Posted: Might 1, 2025 4:35 PM | Final Up to date: Simply now
Regardless of pause, journey to and from U.S. at Halifax airport has elevated over 2024
A New York-based airline is pausing its plans for a every day seasonal flight between Halifax and Boston due to a scarcity of uptake, even because the province’s largest airport says journey to and from the U.S. is up to date this yr.
However in a press release Wednesday, the corporate mentioned it’s “pausing” its plans for the flight as a result of “bookings haven’t met expectations.”
“This is likely one of the essential steps we’re taking to handle our enterprise by means of softer-than-expected journey demand this yr and financial uncertainty,” the corporate mentioned.
“We all know this modification could also be disappointing for many who had already booked journey, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. All impacted prospects will obtain full refunds”
JetBlue added that it could “proceed to guage the potential of launching service to Halifax subsequent summer time.”
On the time that it introduced, the Halifax airport known as it “a game-changing addition” to its roster that might increase Nova Scotia’s economic system and strengthen the Atlantic area’s connectivity to New England.
JetBlue declined a request for an interview, as did the Halifax Stanfield Worldwide Airport.
In a press release Thursday, a spokesperson for the airport mentioned the information that JetBlue wouldn’t offer the flight this yr was “disappointing.”
“The present tariff setting and its affect on Canadian journey to the U.S. have created a difficult time for introducing a brand new U.S. provider to the market,” Jessica Pettigrew mentioned in an e mail.
Journey to U.S. surges
Nonetheless, Pettigrew mentioned journey to and from the U.S. has elevated this yr.
The airport mentioned 91,462 passengers travelled between Halifax Stanfield and the U.S. between Jan. 1 and March 31, representing a 55 per cent enhance over the identical interval final yr, and an eight per cent enhance over the identical interval in 2019.
The statistics embrace arriving and departing passengers and are solely related to continuous companies.
In the meantime, figures from Statistics Canada present a dramatic enhance in passengers who accomplished pre-boarding screening on the Halifax airport earlier than travelling to the U.S. Here is the breakdown:
- January 2024 noticed 8,677 transborder passengers, in comparison with 12,760 this January.
- February 2024 noticed 10,364 transborder passengers, in comparison with 16,395 this February.
- March 2024 noticed 12,673 transborder passengers, in comparison with 17,629 this March.
Elevated seat capability
Pettigrew mentioned quite a few components contribute to passenger statistics. She famous there was a rise in seat capability this yr, but additionally “ongoing political tensions between Canada.”
She mentioned no different airways have decreased their companies on the airport, and a few are even increasing companies.
“American Airways has elevated its seat capability on the Halifax-Washington route from August by means of October and can function every day throughout peak summer time,” she mentioned.
“We can even see American Airways and United Airways launch new summer time companies to Chicago.”
As nicely, airways are increasing companies to numerous elements of Canada from Halifax as a result of elevated demand for vacationers travelling east this summer time, mentioned Pettigrew.
WestJet lately introduced the launch of summer time service between Halifax and Barcelona. It has additionally added Saskatoon and Regina as new home markets, reinstated service to Vancouver and added capability on their current Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton routes.
Each Porter and Air Canada have elevated home capability throughout their networks.
