Add JetBlue to the list of airlines heaping pressure on foundering Spirit. It will launch nine new routes from Fort Lauderdale, including seven that Spirit is serving.
Plus, JetBlue will increase frequencies in November and December on nine Fort Lauderdale routes, all of which Spirit serves.
On Dec. 4, JetBlue will begin service from Fort Lauderdale to Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Grand Cayman; Liberia, Costa Rica; St. Maarten; San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Pittsburgh; and New Orleans. Spirit flies each of those routes except Liberia and Grand Cayman.
JetBlue also said it will launch service to Cali, Colombia at an unspecified date, competing against Spirit.
Besides Spirit, Southwest will be a competitor on the Pittsburgh and New Orleans routes and seasonally on Fort Lauderdale-Grand Cayman.
JetBlue will fly the new routes at least three times per week; the two domestic routes and the Costa Rica route will operate once or twice daily. All new routes are slated for year-round operation.
Cities that JetBlue will serve more frequently from Fort Lauderdale are Atlanta; Boston; Cancun, Mexico; San Juan; Hartford, Conn.; Kingston, Jamaica; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Dominican Republic destinations Punta Cana and Santiago de los Caballeros.
JetBlue's move against Spirit, which is going through a second bankruptcy restructuring this year, follow similar actions over the past two weeks by United and Frontier.
United announced new or added service on 18 routes served by Spirit, including some to be canceled by Spirit in an upcoming scale-back. Frontier in August revealed plans to add 18 routes that Spirit serves.