Blue Jersey: jetBlue Inaugurates EWR (Many Photos!)
NEWARK, N.J. – On October 5, 2005, jetBlue Airways completed its aggressive expansion throughout the New York metropolitan area by launching a new service between New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando, Florida (MCO).
If there was ever a true Triple Threat, this is it. With three of the country's most economically and socially significant airports under its belt, jetBlue now has exclusive bragging rights to a total of over 70 daily flights out of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), La Guardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport to various destinations in Florida.
And to boot, the five-year-old airline is able to turn an extraordinary profit. Newark presented a unique opportunity because, as CEO David Neeleman says, "since we began flying in 2000, New Jersey customers have asked us to bring our low-fare and superior service closer to their homes, in Newark...at least once a week, I try to take a flight and help out. Do you know what the number one question I've been asked is? It's 'When are you going to Newark?'!"
Such popular demand clearly showed: with the largest launch ceremony in the history of the airline, jetBlue kicked off service to the Garden State with seven round trip flights and an 83% load factor - rounding out to approximately 1,000 passengers on the first day of service alone. The low-fare carrier will continue to grow as it begins nonstop service from Newark to Tampa (TPA), West Palm Beach (PBI), and Ft. Myers, Florida (RSW) on October 19. San Juan, Puerto Rico will be introduced on November 17, and by Thanksgiving, jetBlue will be offering 16 daily nonstop flights from Newark. All flights will operate out of gates A21 and A22.
Flight 505 to Ft. Lauderdale pushed back from gate A21 at 10:20AM for the ceremonial water canon salute. A press conference with special guest speakers followed at 11:00AM.
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^N503JB Bluebird was given the honors. The second aircraft, N521JB Bluesville was at gate A22, and another two aircraft were positioned elsewhere in the airport after being ferried over from JFK the night before (loaded with about 13,000 pounds of fuel, the flight took 17 minutes and never went above 4,000 feet).
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^The water canon salute was…lopsided. The water from the left-hand fire truck never reached the aircraft.
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^Oops! “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll turn the podium over to Mr. Dave Barger, C.O.O. of Continental Air – uh, jetBlue Airways!” PANYNJ Chairman Anthony Coscia started the press conference and went on to introduce Dave Barger, C.O.O. of jetBlue Airways, formerly of Continental, with a small Freudian Slip.
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^C.E.O. David Neeleman. Legend has it that he created jetBlue during a flight with the watch he has on his wrist.
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^Dave Barger looks on as the newest destination poster is unveiled.
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^Neeleman poses with members of the EWR crew. Seventy of the 75 employees (of an ultimate total of 150) hired are native New Jersians. As you can see, the jetBlue family is second to none. The enthusiasm and passion is unmatched – a great place to work!
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^The company treated everyone, literally, to a free lunch of wraps, vegetables, and an assortment of hot dishes.
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^Blue Betty, jetBlue’s Airstream RV, servers as a mobile marketing vehicle capable of sharing the jetBlue Experience with people across the country…
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^…the inside is complete with real aircraft seats, samples of the new PTVs being installed across the fleet, maps, and other accessories.
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^Wouldn’t be complete without it!
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^Yours truly.
Will jetBlue succeed? Well, perhaps the better question is: Will any other airline succeed? With a proven business strategy and unparalleled product, this revolutionary is bound to always ‘like us, too’ from each of the three New York airports. They have nothing to fear.
Brian
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