^ Jump up to: a b Cuozzo, Steve. "JetBlue Triples Size of its Queens Offices." New York Post. December 24, 2002. Retrieved on January 20, 2010. "74,000 square feet at 118–29 Queens Blvd., also known as Forest Hills Tower" and "Boulevard in Forest Hills – possibly the largest office lease in Queens this year. JetBlue was previously at 80–02 Kew Gardens Rd., across the street."
On October 25, 2016 JetSuiteX announced that JetBlue had made a minority equity investment in JetSuiteX. Part of the agreement also gave JetBlue a seat on JetSuite's board of directors. Reasons for the investment was outlined by CEO Robin Hayes "Our investment in JetSuite makes sense as we continue to execute on our west coast plan and invest in innovative ideas that reflect the disruptive spirit of JetBlue."[143] In JetBlue's 1st quarter 2018 investor call JetBlue's CFO Steven Priest Confirmed they currently hold about 10% [144] of JetSuiteX.
On June 22, 2009, Frontier Airlines announced that pending bankruptcy court approval, Republic Airways Holdings, the Indianapolis-based parent company of Republic Airlines, would acquire all assets of Frontier Airlines for the amount of $108 million. Thus, Frontier Airlines would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic.[26] However, 5 weeks later on July 30, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines announced that it would be making a competing bid of $113.6 million for Frontier with intentions to also operate Frontier as a wholly owned subsidiary, but that it would gradually fold Frontier resources into current Southwest operating assets.[citation needed]
What makes them so good is the fact that they genuinely strive to give their guests all kinds of luxuries and an experience of leisure travel at unbelievably affordable prices. It has all the horse power that one can imagine a complete airline to have in the form of low fares, all-jet non-stop service to almost anywhere in America, Mexico and Canada and world-class travel partners. Ever since it was certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as a “Scheduled Air Carrier” it has been operating as scheduled and chartered airlines much to the delight of its guests all over America.
Beginning in 2001, a new livery was introduced on the airline's new Airbus A319s, with large silver "FRONTIER" titles on the sides of the aircraft, and the airline's "Spirit of the West" slogan, later changed to "A whole different animal." The animal tails were retained, although only one image per aircraft was now used. Though the airline's Boeing 737s remained in the fleet until 2005, none were repainted into this livery.
In October 2013, jetBlue introduced Mint, a premium cabin service on transcontinental and select Caribbean flights. The service began in 2014, using the Airbus A321-231 aircraft ordered by jetBlue. These planes are outfitted with winglets, as well as with "lie flat" seats, and moveable partitions that can create small suites on the airplane.[56] Called "Mint" by jetBlue, these planes are configured with 16 business-class seats and 143 economy seats, instead of an all-economy configuration of 190 seats.[57]
jetBlue also utilizes various forms of advertising media. They use print, online, and television ads as well as advertisements on popular social media sites including Hulu and YouTube. jetBlue emphasizes a secondary slogan, "If you wouldn't take it on the ground, don't take it in the air" poking fun at competitors with hidden fees, little, or no amenities and what jetBlue considers an unacceptable level of customer service.[97]
As of April 2019, jetBlue Airways flies to 102 destinations in North, Central, and South America; including destinations in Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Maarten, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States.[100]
In September 2009, JetBlue made changes to its TrueBlue program.[132] In the new program, members receive three points for every dollar spent toward a flight, excluding taxes and fees, plus an additional three points for every dollar spent on a flight if booked online directly on the JetBlue.com website. Additional points are awarded if the member uses the Barclay's issued JetBlue Mastercard credit card to purchase the flight. The price of flights in points depend on the fare of the flight in U.S. dollars. The new program launched on November 9, 2009.[133][134]
Advanced Air Air Choice One Air Flamenco Air Sunshine Bering Air Boutique Air Everts Air Frontier Flying Service Gem Air Grand Canyon Airlines Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines Grant Aviation Griffing Flying Service Hageland Aviation Services Island Airways JetSuiteX Kenmore Air Key Lime Air Makani Kai Air Mokulele Airlines New England Airlines Penobscot Island Air Reliant Air Rectrix Aviation San Juan Airlines Scenic Airlines Seaborne Airlines Servant Air Southern Airways Express Star Marianas Air Surf Air Taquan Air Tradewind Aviation Tropic Ocean Airways Ultimate Air Shuttle Utah Airways Vieques Air Link Warbelow's Air Ventures Wright Air Service
During the last few days of June and the first few days of July 2015, jetBlue began charging for bags in certain booking classes, leaving Southwest Airlines the only major U.S. carrier to not charge for bags. For the classes in which bag check fees are charged (generally the lowest class of fares offered; jetBlue offers 3 classes of fares), the cost is $20 for the first bag and $35 for the second, which is the lowest in the United States besides Frontier Airlines with similar prices.[62]
In July 2013, Frontier started service from New Castle Airport near Wilmington, Delaware to five destinations,[41] which Frontier markets as Wilmington/Philadelphia. Again, this airport had no commercial service prior to Frontier's entry.[citation needed] New Castle Airport lies roughly 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia International Airport and 75 miles northeast of Baltimore–Washington International Airport.[citation needed]
jetBlue previously had its headquarters at 80–02 Kew Gardens Road,[80] and then in the Forest Hills Tower, both in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City,[81][80] 6 miles (9.7 km) from the current office in Long Island City.[82] In 2001 the airline had announced that it wanted to take 74,000 square feet (6,900 m2) of space in the Forest Hills Tower, and by December 2002 announced that it planned to increase its leased space.
jetBlue's founders had set out to call the airline "Taxi" and therefore have a yellow livery to associate the airline with New York. The idea was dropped, however, for several reasons: the negative connotation behind New York City taxis; the ambiguity of the word taxi with regard to air traffic control; and threats from investor JP Morgan to pull its share ($20 million of the total $128 million) of the airline's initial funding unless the name was changed.[13]
Also in 2010, JetBlue entered into interline booking agreements with South African Airways[109] and American Airlines[110] to facilitate luggage transfers between airlines for passengers with connecting flights on a different carrier. The agreement with American included JetBlue's 18 destinations not served by American and American's 12 international flights out of New York–JFK and Boston Logan. In addition, American gave JetBlue 8 round trips slots out of Washington National in D.C. and 2 out of Westchester, New York. In return, JetBlue gave American 6 round trips out of New York–JFK. The agreement with American Airlines has since ended according to JetBlue's website.[111]
In an effort to focus on regional contract flights for major carriers, Republic Airways Holdings announced in January 2012 its intention to sell or spin off Frontier.[38][39] On January 26, 2012, Republic Airways Holdings appointed former US Airways and Gate Gourmet CEO David Siegel as President and CEO of Frontier Airlines. Republic also added new senior officers for Frontier's finance and commercial team, among other changes in the executive leadership team. Siegel and other Frontier executives moved to Denver where Frontier is headquartered in order to facilitate management of all aspects of Frontier during its separation process from Republic and continue its transformation into an ultra-low-cost carrier.[13]
Following the February 2007 incident in which the airline was forced to cancel nearly 1,700 flights due to winter storms, jetBlue's board of directors replaced founder and Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman with Dave Barger.[21] He had politicked the board, while Neeleman was busy publicly apologizing. Barger's ascendancy caused widespread demoralization in the ranks.[22] He became JetBlue's new Chief Executive Officer on May 10, 2007.[23] Neeleman, the company's founder and largest individual investor, became a nonexecutive chairman as a result of the change.[24]
In July 2013, Frontier started service from New Castle Airport near Wilmington, Delaware to five destinations,[41] which Frontier markets as Wilmington/Philadelphia. Again, this airport had no commercial service prior to Frontier's entry.[citation needed] New Castle Airport lies roughly 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia International Airport and 75 miles northeast of Baltimore–Washington International Airport.[citation needed]