JetBlue and Japan Airlines Begin Interline Agreement to Offer More Convenience to Travellers Between North America and Asia

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced an interline partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL) allowing travellers to more conveniently book connections between JetBlue's network in North America and JAL's network throughout Asia Pacific, effective tomorrow, February 15.

Through the agreement, customers may book tickets for combined travel on JetBlue and Japan Airlines through New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Customers may book their connecting travel by calling Japan Airlines reservations* or their preferred travel agent.

JAL offers daily nonstop service from New York and Los Angeles to the carrier's hub at Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT), where travellers may connect onward to most major cities in Asia including Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei.

In addition to the JFK and LAX gateways, where JetBlue and JAL will launch their interline agreement, JAL also offers daily service from Chicago O'Hare to Tokyo-Narita and from San Francisco to Tokyo-Haneda.

At New York, JetBlue offers easy connections between JAL-operated flights and cities up and down the United States East Coast including Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York; Charlotte and  Raleigh, North Carolina; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and cities throughout Florida. From Los Angeles, JetBlue offers connecting service to Boston, New York (JFK), and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

New connections at Boston to begin April 22, 2012**

Japan Airlines plans to begin nonstop service between Tokyo-Narita and JetBlue's Boston focus city this spring – an exciting new route that marks the commercial debut of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the U.S. market – making Boston the third connecting point between JetBlue and JAL. The new service between Boston and Tokyo, operated by JAL and part of its transpacific joint business agreement with American Airlines, will be the only nonstop link from New England to Asia.

At Boston Logan International Airport, JetBlue is the largest airline and currently offers 100 daily flights to 44 cities across the U.S. and Caribbean including Baltimore, Maryland; Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. (Reagan National and Dulles International Airports).

With a mid-day arrival and departure time, JAL's new service is perfectly timed for connections with JetBlue to and from destinations throughout the Northeast and Florida.

The In-Flight Experience

Travellers connecting from JAL to JetBlue, which is regularly lauded as one of America's best airlines for customer service, will enjoy the comforts of all-leather seating, the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch), free in-flight entertainment at every seatback, and unlimited free snacks and drinks.

On JAL's flights to and from Asia, customers can experience world-renowned Japanese hospitality from check-in to arrival. Also recognized as the world's most punctual airline***, JAL flies some of its youngest Boeing fleet to the continental U.S., offering customers its award-winning seats and exquisite in-flight meals.

 "JetBlue is proud to be partnering with Japan Airlines through this new interline agreement that will give customers even more choice in travel between Asia and America," said Scott Resnick, JetBlue's director of airline partnerships. "We also look forward to celebrating with JAL as they begin the only service to Asia from our Boston focus city, where JetBlue is the #1 airline."

*In celebration of the new interline agreement, reservations made by calling JAL Customer Service and Support Center (U.S./Canada) at +1 800-525-3663 (TTY/TDD by dialing 711 to National Relay Service Center) between February 15, 2012 and March 31, 2012 for a combined itinerary including JAL on-line transpacific sector and connecting JetBlue segment at JFK, LAX, and BOS will qualify for a waiver of the Ticketing Service Fee (TSF). For TSF details, see http://www.ar.jal.com/arl/region/en/flight_planning/services/jaltkt.html.

**New JAL nonstop Boston-Tokyo service subject to government approval. Equipment subject to change without notice. For schedule details, http://www.ar.jal.com/arl/region/en/flight_planning/boston/index.html.

***JAL was recognized to have the best on-time arrival performance in the category of Major International Airlines Operated and Codeshare Flights by Conducive Technology Corporation - a data provider of reliable flight information to the transportation industry. It was also awarded the most punctual major global airline in 2009 and 2010.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™ with other focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and Orlando. Known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch)  as well as super-spacious Even More Space seats. JetBlue is also America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue's control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 70 cities with 700 daily flights and plans to launch service to Dallas/Fort Worth in May. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information call +1 800-538-2583 (TTY/TDD +1 800-336-5530) from the USA, + 1-801-449-2525 from Japan, or visit www.jetblue.com.

SOURCE JetBlue Airways