(Feb. 12, 2008) -- JetBlue Airways has announced that it will add six new shorter-haul flights in May from LB Airport while shifting an equal number of longer-haul cross-country flights from LB to LAX and Burbank.

The new shorter-haul LB flights will go to Austin (1 daily), San Jose (3 daily) and Seattle (2 daily) and will use a mix of new 100-seat, Brazilian-made Embraer 190 aircraft (below) along with the company's current 150-seat Airbus A320's.

Photo source: Embraer.com

JetBlue spokesman Alison Eshelman told LBReport.com that three daily long-haul flights from LB to JFK and 1 daily flight to Boston will be shifted to LAX and two daily LB flights to Washington, D.C./Dulles will now go from Burbank. JetBlue will continue to fly other long-haul flights from LB, she added. (The net results leaves JetBlue with the same net number of LB flights consistent with LB's noise ordinance.)

JetBlue has already been flying Embraer 190's on other routes, mainly along the east coast.

In a company release, LB Mayor Bob Foster is quoted as saying, "JetBlue continues to set the industry standard for customer service and low fares. By serving new, sought-after destinations with smaller and quieter aircraft, JetBlue is providing more options for consumers and decreasing the airport's impact on neighborhoods."

In the release, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa states, "JetBlue has operated successfully in a very challenging aviation marketplace in recent years by attracting business and leisure travelers with premium service at low prices. The expansion of service in Long Beach and introduction of new routes at LAX and Burbank will, I believe, show that regionalizing air service in the L.A. Basin -- a high priority of my Administration -- is the flight path to future success. Moreover, because of JetBlue's new focus on global partnerships, the new LAX service will help strengthen the LAX international gateway as a key driver of Southern California's economy."

The Executive Director of L.A. World Airports (LAX, Ontario, Palmdale, Van Nuys), Gina Marie Lindsey, says in the company release, "The addition of JetBlue is a reflection of the progress made in our work to revitalize LAX. At the same time, the carrier's expansion in the region is a vivid reminder that we must continue our efforts to increase service at our airports in Ontario and Palmdale, both of which are primed for growth. We look forward to working with JetBlue's route planners to make the case for new and increased service at these important regional airports."

The release says JetBlue will expand "short haul flying from its focus city at Long Beach Airport, adding three more destinations in response to customer demand for convenient and affordable flights within the West. Daily nonstop service to Austin begins May 1, while service to San Jose and Seattle begins May 21. All routes will operate on a mix of 150-seat Airbus A320 and 100-seat Ebraer 190 aircraft."

In the release, JetBlue says its Embraer E190 is "a quiet 100 seat jet"...[and will] offer travelers all the comforts they've come to expect on JetBlue: 36 channels of free live DIRECTV(r) programming, more than 100 channels of XM Satellite Radio, plus comfy leather seats (either an aisle or window -- never a middle seat!), the most legroom in coach (a), and JetBlue's award-winning inflight experience."