By Philip Newman
A new airline that has proclaimed its dedication to bringing down the high airfares for trips within New York state was scheduled to inaugurate service this week with a one-hour flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Buffalo.
JetBlue, which backers call the best-financed start-up airline in commercial aviation history, made its first flight to Buffalo at 6 a.m. Friday, although it was a ceremonial flight carrying an invited list of dignitaries, members of the press and airline business people.
At the Buffalo airport, Gov. George Pataki, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) greeted the first flight of JetBlue. Schumer had campaigned for cheaper fares.
The first regular revenue flight was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday from JFK to Buffalo.
JetBlue sells tickets for flights between New York and Buffalo for $49 and $99, fares already matched by competitors. For instance, U.S. Airways now offers a round-trip fare on certain flights between La Guardia airport and Buffalo for $99.
U.S. Airways and other airlines serving passengers flying within New York state had long complained that fares sometimes surpassed $250 for flights between cities such as Albany and Buffalo and Syracuse and Albany, bringing years of protests, particularly from business and government flyers.
JetBlue, with $130 million in start-up backing from a variety of financiers including George Soros, has a fleet of new Airbus 320 jetliners that have leather seats and will soon be equipped with 24-channel satellite television at every seat.
JetBlue, based in Kew Gardens, also has daily flights from JFK to Buffalo at 5:15 p.m. David Neeleman is chief executive officer of JetBlue, which plans to be serving 10 cities by the end of the year and 30 destinations, including other New York cities, within three years.
U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, (D-St. Albans) complained that Giuliani was trying to take credit for bringing JetBlue to JFK when Schumer was largely responsible.
“The mayor didn't have a nickel of that dime,” Meeks said.
Meeks commented in reaction to a story in Saturday's editions of the Daily News saying the mayor was taking credit for luring JetBlue to JFK. Meeks said his own congressional aide had been working on the issue for years and that the mayor at one time even opposed the idea.
