NEW YORK, March 8, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- JetBlue Airways Corporation (Nasdaq:JBLU) reported today that its traffic in February increased 3.2 percent from February 2006, on a capacity increase of 7.6 percent. This capacity increase includes the impact of re-configuring JetBlue's Airbus A320 aircraft fleet from 156 to 150 seats.
Load factor for February 2007 was 80.0 percent, a decrease of 3.4 points from February 2006. JetBlue's preliminary completion factor was 90.9 percent and its on-time(1) performance was 57.5 percent.
"JetBlue's operating performance for the month was adversely impacted by the Northeast ice storm on February 14, 2007 and related recovery period, resulting in the cancellation of 1,191 flights and numerous flight delays over the six-day period," said David Neeleman, JetBlue's CEO. "Preliminary PRASM for the month decreased four percent year over year, which includes the financial impact of the storm."
JETBLUE AIRWAYS TRAFFIC RESULTS
February 2007 February 2006 % Change
Revenue passenger
miles (000) 1,739,500 1,685,746 3.2
Available seat
miles (000) 2,175,609 2,021,874 7.6
Load factor 80.0% 83.4% (3.4) pts.
Revenue passengers 1,483,516 1,325,052 12.0
Departures 13,617 10,586 28.6
Average stage
length 1,102 1,246 (11.6)
Y-T-D 2007 Y-T-D 2006 % Change
Revenue passenger
miles (000) 3,678,419 3,476,725 5.8
Available seat
miles (000) 4,722,378 4,196,967 12.5
Load factor 77.9% 82.8% (4.9) pts.
Revenue passengers 3,135,480 2,704,164 16.0
Departures 29,394 21,782 34.9
Average stage
length 1,091 1,254 (13.0)
SOURCE: JetBlue Airways Corporation
(1) The U.S. Department of Transportation considers on-time arrivals to be those domestic flights arriving within 14 minutes of schedule.
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JetBlue Airways is focused on creating a new airline category -- an airline that offers value, service and style. Based in New York City, and now in its eighth year, the low-cost carrier currently serves 50 destinations with more than 550 flights daily. JetBlue has the most legroom in coach (a) and is America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful compensation for customers inconvenienced by flight delays or cancellations (b). In addition to its signature seatback personal television service (c), the low-fare, high-value airline offers customers generous brand name snacks and beverages, including freshly brewed Dunkin' Donuts(r) coffee, and delicious wines selected by the airline's Low Fare Sommelier, Josh Wesson from Best Cellars(r). With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all travel is ticketless, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information or reservations call 1-800-JETBLUE (1-800-538-2583) or visit www.jetblue.com.
(a) JetBlue has the most legroom in coach, based on average fleet-wide seat pitch for U.S. airlines.
(b) For full details of JetBlue's Customer Bill of Rights, visit www.jetblue.com/promise.
(c) DIRECTV(r) service is not available on flights outside the continental United States; however, where applicable FOX InFlight(tm) is offered complimentary on these routes. FOX InFlight(tm) is a trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. JetBlue's in-flight entertainment is powered by LiveTV, a wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue.
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; increases in fuel prices, maintenance costs and interest rates; our ability to implement our growth strategy, including the ability to operate reliably the EMBRAER 190 aircraft; our significant fixed obligations; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and maintain our culture as we grow; our reliance on high daily aircraft utilization; our dependence on the New York metropolitan market; our reliance on automated systems and technology; our being subject to potential unionization; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers; changes in or additional government regulation; changes in our industry due to other airlines' financial condition; and external geopolitical events and conditions. Further 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 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.