NEW YORK, May 27, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU) this week was recognized by Airbus for two unique industry achievements during the aircraft manufacturer's Single Aisle Technical Symposium in Rhodes, Greece.
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JetBlue was awarded the prestigious Award for Operational Excellence for having attained, over the past two years, a 99.43 percent technical dispatch reliability, the highest percent of all carriers worldwide with a fleet of more than 50 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. In 2003, JetBlue received this award as an operator with a fleet size of fewer than 50 aircraft.
The airline was also acknowledged for maintaining the greatest annual fleet utilization in the industry of Airbus' customers flying more than 50 Airbus A320 Family of aircraft. JetBlue's fleet of 74 Airbus A320 aircraft averages an annual utilization of 4,250 flight hours per aircraft. The airline's fleet averages 4,915 block hours annually per aircraft, or 13.4 block hours of utilization per day.
"Dispatch reliability and utilization are two operating parameters that, for most carriers, work in opposition to each other," said Dave Barger, President and COO of JetBlue Airways. "The ability to achieve first-in-class technical reliability while flying our fleet more than any other airline is a testimony to the dedication and expertise of our Technical Operations crewmembers and teamwork and support from all other operating departments."
JetBlue is a low-fare, low-cost passenger airline, which provides high-quality customer service. JetBlue operates a fleet of 74 new Airbus A320 aircraft and plans to add 10 additional A320s and 7 Embraer E190s to its fleet in 2005. Based at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, JetBlue currently operates 296 flights a day and serves 31 destinations in 13 states, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas. JetBlue plans to commence new service from JFK to Ponce, Puerto Rico on June 17.
All JetBlue aircraft feature roomy leather seats; all equipped with an in-seat digital entertainment system offering up to 36 channels of free DIRECTV(r) programming. On many flights, a selection of first-run movies and bonus features from FOX InFlight Premium Entertainment may be available.(1)
With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all travel is ticketless, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For more information, schedules and fares, please visit www.jetblue.com or call JetBlue reservations at 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583), 1-888-538-2583 if calling from Puerto Rico, or 1-200-9898 if calling from the Dominican Republic. This press release, as well as past press releases, can be found on www.jetblue.com.
(1) DIRECTV(r) service is not available on flights between JFK and Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic; however, where available, FOX InFlight Premium Entertainment is offered complimentary on these routes.
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature which represent our management's beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking statements due to many factors, including without limitation, our extremely competitive industry, our ability to implement our growth strategy including the integration of the Embraer E190 aircraft into our operations, our significant fixed obligations, our ability to maintain our culture, our reliance on high daily aircraft utilization, increases in maintenance costs, fuel prices, insurance costs and interest rates, our dependence on the New York market, our reliance on automated systems and technology, our reliance on sole suppliers, additional government regulation and future acts of terrorism or the threat of such acts or escalation of U.S. military involvement overseas. Information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to, the Company's 2004 Annual Report Form 10-K/A and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
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