by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:35 AM ET, Fri July 14, 2023
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways announced the next
steps the carrier would take as part of a court-ordered effort to wind down the
Northeast Alliance with American Airlines.
Starting on July 21, JetBlue and American passengers will no
longer be able to book new codeshare flights on the other airline. Travelers
with tickets already booked, TrueBlue or AAdvantage numbers must be added to
the booking before July 21 to earn points, tiles and reciprocal perks.
“We are disappointed to be ending popular benefits like
codesharing and reciprocal loyalty benefits,” JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance vice
president Dave Fintzen said. “We know customers will miss these features and
believe the U.S. Department of Justice’s position opposing them misses the mark.”
Customers can still accrue TrueBlue points for all tickets
purchased before July 21, if their TrueBlue number is added to the booking
before that date. American revealed its AAdvantage members can use their miles
to book and ticket an award itinerary on JetBlue through July 20.
Officials from JetBlue and American said the companies would
continue to minimize disruption to customers who have booked travel and will reach
out to individual customers that require re-accommodation or refund.
“With the court’s recent ruling and the termination of the
NEA, we have to sunset them in short order,” Fintzen continued. “Even as these
benefits end, we are still committed to minimizing disruption to existing
travel plans and continuing to deliver great value and our award-winning
product and service to our customers.”
Earlier this month, JetBlue decided not to appeal a June
court decree that the Northeast Alliance conflicts with antitrust law. The
carrier issued a statement announcing its decision a month after CEO Robin
Hayes told Bloomberg the airline hoped to find a way of continuing the NEA
flights coordinated by the two airlines.
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