JETAIR: Germany (1982-1985). JetAir is established at Munich in 1982 by a pair of former Bavaria Germanair, GmbH. pilots. The company suffers a long gestation period, as attempts to raise capital for the purchase of aircraft are not successful. By the spring of 1984, sufficient funds have been cobbled together to lease a former Air Panama International, S. A. Boeing 727-81. Unhappily, the usual links between an airline and tour operators have not been cemented and no inclusive-tour contracts are booked. Beginning in May, JetAir is able to offer a series of one-off charters to several European destinations.
Expensive arrangements are completed with several tour operators in early 1985 and the company is able to complete a full summer season starting at the end of March. Unhappily, costs far exceed income. New efforts to win bridge financing for the winter period are unsuccessful and, consequently, the carrier declares bankruptcy and is liquidated in December.
Several years later, after the books have been closely examined, the carrier’s top executives are charged with fraud. Following a trial in which it is revealed that the men had rigged JetAir’s bankruptcy as a way of avoiding debt to creditors and shareholders, the founders are imprisoned.
JETALL AIRWAYS, LTD.: Canada (1987-1996). Arie Tall founds this privately owned scheduled and cargo carrier at Mississauga, Ontario, in 1987. With a fleet that comes to comprise 2 Cessna 402Bs, 5 Convair CV-580s, 8 Fairchild SA-226s and 3 SA-227s, flights are inaugurated late in the year to both domestic and international destinations.
Airline employment in 1993 stands at 105. Canadian destinations now visited include Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Moncton, Ottawa,
Quebec City, Saint John’s, Sault St. Marie, Stephenville, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Windsor, Winnipeg. International markets are maintained at Buffalo, Guatemala City, Indianapolis, Miami, New York, and Toledo.
The fleet is increased in 1994 by the addition of one each B-737-2A9AC and B-737-210CA; the jet freighters are joined by two more Metro IIIs as one CV-580 is withdrawn. Three more Canadian destinations are added in 1995, as one more CV-580 is retired.
Several more Metro IIIs are placed into service in 1996. They come too late, however, as fiscal difficulties force the company to shut its doors before the end of the year.
JETBLUE AIRWAYS: 90 Park Ave., New York, New York 10116, United States; Phone (212) 557-6565; Fax (718) 286-4110; http:// Www. jetblue. com; Code B6; Year Founded 1998. JetBlue is originally established under the working name “New Air” at New York (JFK) on August 24, 1998 to offer low-cost domestic services. David Neeleman, one of the founders of Morris Air (later acquired by Southwest Airlines), is chairman/CEO, with David Barger, former Continental Airlines vice president, as president/chief operating officer. Neeleman initially hopes to become an American version of Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd., but negotiations with Sir Richard Branson on the concept fall through. The acquaintance with the U. K. airline does, however, result in the hiring of two of its top marketing executives, Amy Curtis and Gareth Edmondsn-Jones.
With support from financier George Soros, Western Presidio Capital, and Chase Capital Partners, $128 million in financing for the carrier is quickly raised and orders, valued at $3.6 billion, are placed for 82 new Airbus Industrie A320 jetliners. While awaiting certification, the company wins 75 slots at JFK on the strength of its promise to bring frequent service and low fares to upstate New York.
The search for a new name now begins in earnest. After some months of consideration and an inability to choose from a list of 200 potential titles, the as-yet-unborn concern turns to the well-known airline public relations team Landor Associates for help. By late June, the apparent winning moniker is “True Blue.”
On July 1, it is learned that Thrifty Rent-A-Car already owns the “True Blue” name, which is thus unavailable. Landor, embarassed, halves its bill. Finally, during a casual conversation between Neeleman, Curtis, and the airline’s general counsel the next evening, the name “Jet Blue” is suggested. It immediately gains favor and is quickly adopted.
At a on July 14, 1999 news conference attended by New York Governor George Pataki, U. S. Senator Charles Schumer, New York City Mayor Rudy Guillani, and company officials, the company’s new moniker is unveiled. Chairman Neeleman refers to his company as “New York’s new low-fare, hometown airline.” The press, in covering the event, notes that the airline is the most heavily capitalized new entrant airline in U. S. history and refers to it as a “mega start-up.”
On September 17, the start-up receives DOT operational authorization and is awarded 75 takeoff and landing slots at New York (JFK), to be phased in over a 3-year period. The start-up announces in October that Fort Lauderdale and Buffalo will be its first destinations; Rochester and Syracuse will be added later.
The first A320-232, wearing two-tone blue tail stripes, departs Toulouse on December 3 and arrives in time to be unveiled at ceremonies at New York (JFK) the next day. Employees, families and the New York media are all given a chance to board the new jet and look around inside. Another Airbus will be delivered in January.
The company turns on its interactive World Wide Web homepage on January 11,2000 and immediately sells 1,000 firm bookings for its announced new service to Fort Lauderdale.
Twice-daily return service is inaugurated on February 11 from New York (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale, followed the next day by the introduction of thrice-weekly roundtrips from New York (JFK) to Tampa. Thrice-daily roundtrip frequencies from New York (JFK) to Buffalo commence on February 17 and to Tampa on March 16. Beginning in late
March, the company offers 24-channel DIRECTV, available at seat-back monitors on every seat for a $5 charge per flight.
“Delta Express” begins direct competition with the carrier on April 2 with its own twice-daily roundtrips between New York (JFK) and Fort Lauderdale. It is reported on May 20 that the start-up has operated 1,144 flights through April 30 without a single cancellation and a 70.9% load factor.
The company’s fourth A320-232 is received at New York (JFK) on June 9. Daily roundtrip frequencies from New York (JFK) to Buffalo are increased from three to four on June 21, the same day new twice-daily return service begins to Orlando. Five days later, another A320-232 is received.
On July 6, the Buffalo route is boosted to five daily roundtrips, Fort Lauderdale becomes four a day, and Orlando is made thrice daily. On July 21, daily A320-232 return service is inaugurated from New York (JFK) to Ontario, California. Five days later, the carrier announces it will not implement a $5 service fee for access to the onboard seat-back DirecTV system. Two more A320-232s arrive during the month.
New four-times-a-day roundtrips from New York (JFK) to Syracuse are launched on August 1. Two days later, daily A320-232 return frequencies are initiated from New York (JFK) to Oakland, California, while new twice-daily frequencies are introduced to Rochester, New York. On August 6, daily return flights from New York (JFK) to Orlando are increased again, to five roundtrips. The eighth A320-232 is delivered on August 10.
A sixth A320-232 is leased from ILFC on August 11; it will be delivered under a 12-year contract in April 2001. The twice-weekly return service between New York (JFK) and Rochester is doubled on August 22 to four weekly roundtrips. The company’s financial position is now further strengthened by the commitment of an additional $30 million in equity capital from existing shareholders.
In the period between February 11 and August 31, the start-up has operated 4,328 flights with only 10 cancellations.
On September 5, JetBlue becomes the first airline to offer its passengers live, in-flight Olympic television coverage when it begins two weeks of nightly feed from NBC-Sports. Two days later, twice-daily return flights begin from New York (JFK) to Burlington, Vermont. The ninth A320-232 arrives on October 9.
On October 18, daily roundtrip frequencies are initiated from New York (JFK) to West Palm Beach. The 10th and last A320-232 to be received this year is delivered on November 6. Daily Airbus return frequencies begin on November 17 between New York (JFK) and Salt Lake City. The West Palm Beach service becomes twice-daily on November 18, the same day new roundtrips are launched between New York (JFK) and Fort Myers.
In business since February 11, JetBlue reports that it has, as of December 31, carried 1.11 million passengers on 10,246 scheduled flights, with a load factor of 73.2%. $100 million in passenger flight revenues are generated.
JETCORP: 18152 Edison Ave., Chesterfield, Missouri 63005, United States; Phone (314) 530-7000; Fax (314) 519-1212; Year Founded 1981. Jetcorp is originally established as an FBO in 1981. During the next 16 years, it also becomes a significant provider of executive and small group passenger charters worldwide. In 2000, the company employs 14 pilots and bases its aircraft at 4 airports.
The major portion of the fleet is stationed at Spirt of St. Louis Airport. From here are flown 4 Learjet 55 Longhorns, 2 Learjet 35A Century IIIs, and 1 each Dassault Falcon 50 and Beech Super King Air 200. A Learjet 60 is also operated from St. Louis.
An IAI Westwind II is operated from Waukegan Regional Airport in Illinois and a Learjet 31 is flown from Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Minnesota.
World History
