Keeping smaller or remote communities connected to major cities or airline hubs is a critical element of commercial aviation, which is why they are often nominated as Essential Air Service routes. On Thursday, US carrier JetBlue launched services between Boston and Presque Isle in northern Maine, a city with fewer than 10,000 residents on the southern shores of Lake Erie near the Canadian border.
New JetBlue service
On September 5, 2024, JetBlue announced it had commenced services between Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Presque Isle International Airport (PQI). The new service will operate daily and give travelers in Northern Maine and New Brunswick more convenience when heading to Boston and beyond.
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On Thursday, JetBlue flight B6206 departed Boston Logan International at 15:17 and, after a fifty-four-minute flight, arrived at Presque Isle International at 16:11. The service was operated with a 2007 Embraer E190, registration N273JB and MSN 19000073, that is scheduled to depart PQI at 05:45 on Friday as flight B6207 and arrive in Boston at 07:10.
Commenting on the launch yesterday, Dave Jehn, vice president of network planning and airline partnerships at JetBlue, said the airline is happy to bring the long-desired Boston flights back to Presque Isle and the surrounding communities, adding:
“This new service exemplifies our commitment to providing customers throughout New England with high quality service to places they most want to go. We are grateful to the US Department of Transportation for selecting JetBlue for this Essential Air Service route.”
Presque Isle is located in the heart of Aroostook County and is a vibrant city that serves as a regional service hub for business, education, healthcare, recreation and air transportation. It is renowned for its small-town hospitality, outdoor adventure options and natural beauty, including Presque Isle State Park, a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie.
The A220 is taking over
Initially, JetBlue will operate the route with the 100-seat Embraer E190 regional jet, although passengers will be in for a treat when it transitions to the 140-seat Airbus A220 in 2025. Both of these aircraft offer JetBlue’s award-winning service, including the most legroom in coach, fast, free and unlimited broadband Fly-Fi, complimentary snacks and drinks, and seatback entertainment at every seat.
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While many travelers will be happy to travel to Boston or Presque Isle, many others will want to take advantage of JetBlue’s extensive network for onward flights. JetBlue offers same-terminal connections at Boston Logan International with direct flights to more than 50 destinations across the Americas and Europe.
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Passengers will also benefit from single-ticket connections with through-checked baggage to take them across the globe with flights from JetBlue’s many partner airlines. The new service is an example of the airline’s new JetForward strategic plan, which includes strengthening and refocusing its network in the Northeast.
JetBlue is adding 20% more seats in the region this year, and when its new service to Manchester, New Hampshire, launches in January 2025, it will serve ten New England destinations. It is already the leading leisure carrier in Boston and New England, with the most flights to California, Florida and the Caribbean. With more than 70 destinations from Boston, it operates the most mainline seats from the BOS.