JetBlue curbs SRQ flights to New York

Beginning May 4, JetBlue will only shuttle passengers from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City during part of the year.

JetBlue notified Sarasota-Bradenton International in January that the route would be curtailed.

At a meeting last month, the carrier said the flight would return in the fall, but has not provided a date yet, said SRQ Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo.

JetBlue said opportunity costs were too great to continue the service from SRQ to JFK during summer months, said Piccolo.

“We were told by JetBlue the SRQ - JFK route was not losing money,” Piccolo said. “But the network planners felt they could make more money using the aircraft on a different route during our summer season.”

For May through September 2015, outbound and inbound planes flying the route were 83% and 78% filled, respectively. The average national load, according to Piccolo, is 85%.

The non-stop service to JFK began in September 2006.

In the meantime, Piccolo said, SRQ is advising passengers that both JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines will continue to offer daily nonstop service to New York's LaGuardia airport from SRQ year-round.