"At8:55A.M.onFriday,February11,2000,JetBlue'sfirstscheduledflightpushedbackfromitsgateatJFK'sTerminal6boundforFort.Lauderdale.Anewerainlow-fareaviation──andinDavidNeeleman'slife──hadarrived.WhateversenseofaccomplishmentthislandmarkeventprovokedforNeelemanwouldlikelybebriefandwouldbesoonovertakenbyhisrelentlesspushtorefine,improveandstrivetowardperfection."?
──JohnWynbrandt
JetBluehadarrangedtoleaseeightAirbusA320stostartoperationswhileitwaswaitingforitsownairplanestobedelivered.WithinayearofitsfirstflightbetweenNewYorkandFlorida,JetBluehadstartedservicestotenotherairportsinFlorida,California,NewYork,VermontandUtah.
Inkeepingwithitsthemeofdoingthingsbetterthantherest,JetBluedoesdosomeunconventionalthings:
■Thecompanyallowsflightattendantstojob-share.Forscheduling,theairlinedoesn'tmindwhichmemberoftheteamturnsupforanygivenflightaslongasonedoes.Thishasproventobeverypopularwiththeairline'sflightattendants.Thecompanyalsousespart-timeemployeesandcollegestudentslookingtotakeayearofftheirstudiestoexpandthepoolofpotentialhires.JetBluehasalsosetupitsownuniversitytotrainitspeople.
■JetBluepays50-percentofitspretaxprofitsintoaprofitsharingincentiveprogramallemployeesparticipatein.Thisispaidoutintheformofa401(k)planwhichthecompanymatchestheemployee'scontributionsdollar-for-dollarfromtheirveryfirstdayofemploymentonwards.
■DavidNeelemangoesonatleastoneJetBlueflighteveryweekandworksalongsidethecabincrew,andalsothebaggagehandlers.HealsostopsandtalkstoeverycustomerontheflighthandingoutsnacksandaskingfortheirexperiencesinusingJetBlue.