In a bid to reduce expenses and regain profitability, JetBlue Airways has announced the elimination of several routes and a scaling back of service in Los Angeles. This comes in the wake of the airline's failed attempt to acquire Spirit Airlines and ongoing challenges with Pratt & Whitney engine issues affecting some of its Airbus planes.

JetBlue will reduce its daily departures from Los Angeles International Airport from 34 to 24, with a focus on maintaining profitability on transcontinental routes, particularly those featuring the popular Mint business class cabin. The cutbacks will include the discontinuation of services from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Las Vegas, Reno, and Puerto Vallarta.

Furthermore, JetBlue plans to end flights to Bogota, Quito, Lima, and Kansas City in June, as well as services between Fort Lauderdale and Austin, Atlanta, Nashville, and Salt Lake City, and between New York and Detroit.

Dave Jehn, Vice President of Network Planning and Airline Partnerships, emphasized the importance of financial performance in the decision-making process, stating that, "with less aircraft time available and the need to improve our financial performance, more than ever, every route has to earn its right to stay in the network."

While JetBlue is cutting back on certain routes, it will continue to prioritize transcontinental flying and focus on "bread and butter" routes along the East Coast, as well as those serving popular Caribbean vacation destinations.

The announcement comes as JetBlue's new CEO, Joanna Geraghty, faces increased pressure to reduce expenses following activist investor Carl Icahn's disclosure of a nearly 10% stake in the company last month, which resulted in him being granted two board seats. The airline had already initiated a cost-cutting program prior to Icahn's involvement and aimed to lower expenses by $200 million by the end of the year.

It is worth noting that these changes do not affect JetBlue's planned capacity for the year, which the airline expects to be down in the low single digits from 2023, according to the memo sent to staff. JetBlue is now charting its path as a stand-alone airline after its plan to acquire Spirit Airlines was blocked by a judge in January. Previously, the airline's partnership with American Airlines in the Northeast was also rejected by a separate judge.

JetBlue's strategic reshuffling reflects its determination to navigate the current challenges it faces while striving to return to profitability.