WORCESTER – JetBlue will add flights from Worcester Regional Airport to JFK Airport in New York City.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito confirmed the airline’s expanded service during a ceremony at the airport Tuesday morning. Several community and business leaders were on hand for the announcement.

Ms. Polito, of Shrewsbury, praised JetBlue for its commitment to the region.

“You have really unleashed incredible opportunity for this region and this commonwealth by making this access to JFK,” Ms. Polito said.

City Manager Edward Augustus said the added service is important to Worcester’s quest to be a vibrant city.

JetBlue currently is the only commercial airline providing service at the airport, with daily flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

The airline will offer daily service to and from JFK upon completion of an upgraded landing system in Worcester. A Category III landing system, which would allow flights to land in all kinds of weather, is hoped to be completed by the end of the year.

Worcester Regional Airport is a small airport also used by private and charter flights. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $7.7 million grant to the airport last year for taxiway construction. Other federal grants in recent years have improved the airport's firefighting station and funded the installation of a new runway lighting system.

Return to telegram.com for more on this story.