Tampa International lands flights to San Juan from 2 airlines

Two airlines announced today they are adding service from Tampa International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Long criticized for not having enough non-domestic flights, Tampa International will now have competitive service to San Juan, which should lead to lower air fares.

JetBlue airlines, which had previously cited a lack of community support as a reason for backing off plans to launch a daily flight from Tampa to San Juan, Puerto Rico, announced today it will begin daily nonstop service to Tampa International in May, with a second daily flight beginning in June. Tickets will go on sale in October.

Additionally, AirTran Airways said today it will add two flights beginning on April 5 and tickets are on sale now. The Tampa to San Juan flights will leave at 7:30 a.m. and at 3:24 p.m.; returning flights will leave San Juan at 11:05 a.m. and 6:59 p.m.

"The singular reason we're going into this route is that we believe it'll be very popular," said AirTran spokesman Christopher White. "Being a Florida-based airline and operating in Tampa since 1993, we feel like we know the community better than anyone."

JetBlue's announcement comes after a Tampa Tribune story earlier this week outlining the airline's inability to get $100,000 in marketing funds it sought to help launch the flight.

Tampa International agreed to provide $25,000 to market the new service, but that was $75,000 short of what the airline wanted. Some influential members of the Latin community did not support the JetBlue request, arguing that money should be directed to places with no current Tampa service.
American Airlines already provides service with one flight between Tampa and San Juan.

In an e-mail to the Tribune , JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin said the airline still does not have the incentives it sought from Tampa, but that the Tribune's article "'outing' our plans kind of forced our hand to make a decision - either we jump in, or leave it on the table. We decided to jump in because the article also gave us the visibility on the route that we want and need."

Dervin said the airline trusts that Trudy Carson, Tampa International's director of air service development, will "do whatever it takes to get the word out to the local community about this route."

Starting these flights without the marketing funds is "a risk at a level we prefer not to take," Dervin said, adding that the airline "will not over-invest to make up for any shortfall from the communities' side. So - we don't have the incentives we want, but we will expect them.''

Cost to the airline to fly a 150-passenger Airbus 320 every day for a year would be "close to $10 million," head of route planning, Dave Clark wrote Carson in a July e-mail explaining the risks involved for the airline.

AirTran's White said he had no details on incentives but is "confident this route will be successful." The airline has been working with the airport over the past several days to bring this route to Tampa International.

The added flights by the two airlines should provide price competition and capture local travelers who use Orlando's airport. American Airlines charges as much as 40 percent more for Tampa-San Juan tickets than for its Orlando-San Juan flights.