NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways ( JBLU )

said on Thursday it is bullish on its transatlantic strategy and

is looking to connect more passengers with Atlantic gateways as

quickly as possible.

The New York-based carrier has been shifting around its

network to focus on more profitable routes.

The carrier is expanding its service from Southern Florida

and is also turning its attention to transit more premium U.S.

travelers to gateway cities like New York and Boston and then

onward to Europe.

"That balance of good sun markets in the winter and then

European markets in the summer and fall, it's made for a very,

very good profit portfolio for us," JetBlue ( JBLU ) President Marty St.

George told a Morgan Stanley conference.

"We're very, very bullish about how the Atlantic has done."

The company said connecting more passengers to gateways like New

York and Boston will be helpful for its strategy to return to

profitability.

"I would love to get more Atlantic connectivity as quick as

I can," he added.

As competitor Southwest Airlines looks to offer long-haul

international flights and which aircraft to deploy, JetBlue ( JBLU ) said

it is content with its fleet decision to fly narrow-body

aircraft, with about 150 seats, across the Atlantic.

However, the company said it is struggling with airport slot

access and securing favorable times, specifically in cities like

London, as it looks to get more business travelers on

its transatlantic flights.

(Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Nia Williams)