ONE SPIRIT NYC FREE

'Because they're literally sharing slots and capacity with each other, if the FAA awarded those to JetBlue, they could potentially be flown by American, which would defeat the whole purpose,' Kirby told TPG. Additionally, JetBlue is already sharing slots with American Airlines through the Northeast Alliance, a tie-up that has already been challenged by the DOT over antitrust regulations. For one, the airline already operates a hub at nearby New York-JFK. Meanwhile, Spirit argues that JetBlue should be excluded from consideration. Newark Airport from above (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy) JetBlue says that United - the airport's largest carrier - is squatting on slots with small planes on short domestic routes, and that it should receive the slots to continue its growth at Newark. In addition to Spirit, Alaska, Allegiant, JetBlue and Sun Country are all vying for these precious slots.Īllegiant and Sun Country have argued that the FAA should award the slots equally to two airlines, not just one. Meanwhile, over in New Jersey, Spirit is hopeful that it'll grow at Newark in a very big way.īack in September, the Federal Aviation Administration said it will award 16 slots at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), abandoned by Southwest, to a single low-cost carrier, part of an effort to boost competition in United’s East Coast hub.Īlthough Newark isn't technically slot controlled, its flight schedules are still regulated - essentially putting takeoff and landing rights operate under a similar setup.Īnd now that Frontier has officially pulled out of the Newark market, Kirby is hopeful that Spirit will be the frontrunner for those slots. 'We'd love to expand at LaGuardia if we were able to get more slots,' Kirby added. In addition to Spirit's move into the MAT, the airline picked up additional 'RON' positions, or 'remains overnight' parking spots at LaGuardia, allowing the airline to store more planes at the airport during the wee hours of the day.Īccording to Kirby, 'because of the extra RONs we picked up, we're now flying 13 flights a day from LaGuardia, because we're taking advantage of the ends of the day that aren't slotted.' Peak departures at LaGuardia are slot-controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration to minimize congestion at the airport. And then as you pointed out in previous articles, it really is the best terminal to operate if you're a passenger going in and out.' 'We'll have tremendous operational flexibility,' according to Kirby. Spirit's operation in the Marine Air Terminal (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)Īnother perk of moving to the MAT is that it's located much closer to the airport's runways, and it doesn't suffer from the same alleyway congestion that you'll find at other LaGuardia terminals. 'I'd say it's likely in the middle part of next year that'll all come together, and we'll be the lead tenant at the Marine Air Terminal,' he added. (All other Spirit flights continue to be operated from a leased gate in Terminal C.)Īs for when Spirit might consolidate into the MAT, 'it's just a matter of timing,' said Kirby. To date, the airline has already set up shop there, funneling all its flights to Florida through the Marine Air Terminal. JetBlue leaving the MAT paves the way for Spirit to move in. This way, the airline can offer seamless connectivity with its new partner in the Northeast, American Airlines. However, the carrier is abandoning the Marine Air Terminal and moving its operations into the airport's newly rebuilt Terminal B. In recent years, JetBlue has been the anchor tenant at the Marine Air Terminal, and many savvy flyers have chosen to fly JetBlue from LaGuardia for the easy in-and-out access. With just six gates, it almost feels like you’re flying private.

It’s accessed via a dedicated exit from the highway and doesn’t suffer from the same road congestion as LaGuardia’s other terminals.

ONE SPIRIT NYC FREE

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter! LaGuardia is all about the MATįor now, Spirit is focused on consolidating its operations at New York/LaGuardia to the airport’s Marine Air Terminal.įor those who aren't familiar, the Marine Air Terminal, or 'MAT' for short, is one of the most convenient at LGA. In a recent exclusive interview with TPG, John Kirby, Spirit’s vice president of network planning, gave an airport-by-airport rundown of how the airline views its New York City service - and what flyers should expect in the coming months. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email.

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One spirit nyc