It’s time to bring a hub back to Cleveland, and the newly announced Blue Sky partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue is the perfect opportunity to do it. This collaboration is more than just a loyalty program upgrade; it’s a strategic realignment of the U.S. aviation landscape that could, and should, put Cleveland back on the map as a hub.
For years, JetBlue has had an awkward hold in its route-map, failing to serve the Midwest in any meaningful way. Its network is heavily concentrated on the East Coast, with focus cities in New York, Boston, and Florida, but it lacks an anchor in America’s heartland. That’s a glaring omission for a carrier that aspires to national relevance.
Meanwhile, United, though it de-hubbed Cleveland in 2014, has kept an awkward sort of baby hub here, complete with crew base. Cleveland remains a United focus city, with significant infrastructure, personnel, and a loyal customer base still in place. The two carriers should coordinate schedule additions to create a proper hub in Cleveland.
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Tim Rosenberger is a legal fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
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