Delta Air Lines and JetBlue, two major US carriers, failed to secure additional slots at Heathrow Airport for the upcoming summer season. This missed opportunity may affect their ability to expand services from this busy international hub.

Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), which manages Heathrow slots, showed that Delta and JetBlue requested significant additional slots for the 2025 summer season. Delta asked for 960 new slots, while JetBlue requested 840. However, neither airline secured the extra capacity. American Airlines and United Airlines did not apply for additional slots.

The summer season at Heathrow runs from March 30, 2025, to October 25, 2025. Airlines want to optimize their schedules during this time. Heathrow manages its available slots to handle the high demand. Despite US carriers’ requests, ACL allocated only 91% of the total demand. Constraints like runway limitations and turnaround issues prevented further allocation.

Even though Delta and JetBlue couldn’t expand, other US airlines are increasing their capacity. American Airlines will add over 62,000 seats. Delta and United Airlines will increase their seat offerings by 103,830 and 83,580, respectively. In contrast, JetBlue will reduce its total seat count by 7,560 for the summer season.

British Airways, the largest carrier at Heathrow, will scale back slightly. This adjustment comes due to aircraft maintenance issues. Overall, aircraft movements will remain steady, but Heathrow will increase total seat capacity by 1.3%.

Heathrow continues to manage air traffic and capacity challenges. Airlines adjust their offerings to meet passenger demand. Expect more travel options to the US this summer season.

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