A Worrisome Flight Path for JetBlue

Anyone care to clue me in on the gist of this story, since I dont wish to register with Yahoo?

I keep hearing all of these "wait until they have to PAY for thier own maintenance/aircraft" doomsday scenarios, but I have yet to SEE anything written about this with any specifics or data to back these predictions up.

Anyone care to point me to some of this info?
 
Always get a smirk when I read that jetBlue (sometimes it's Southwest) "doesn't cater to the business traveler." Seems to me that this is nothing more than code language for saying that jetBlue (and Southwest) "doesn't gouge the business traveler" to make up for loss-leader fares.

Though I have never flown on jetBlue, whenever I have traveled with Southwest I have observed that the mix of business types, leaisure travelers and bus passengers is about the same as I see when traveling with Alaska, Northwest or United. My guess is that it would be about the same on jetBlue as well.
 
I would submit that the picture for JB is pretty good, but not nearly as good as the really heavy kool-aid drinkers like to fantasize. The biggest danger to JB is the same as all the airlines and many fast growing companies . . . management.

Long term prospects for JB? Too early to tell. So far, so good, though.
 
We don't have the same management as eveyone else. Our guys are hands down the coolest, and they are good at what they do.

BTW, the guy that wrote the "worrisome flightpath" piece hates all airlines as investments. He says many a good thing about Jetblue, misses the boat about a lot of things, but generally said nothing new in this piece.
 
If jetBlue's flight path is "worrisome" then I'd hate to see the adjectives being used to describe the so-called flight paths of other major airlines in this business. This goes to show the relativism of such media headlines.

As for Winglet's comment about good management, I agree with his position. As it applies to jetBlue one can observe several "symptoms" of good management at jetBlue. It begins with the fundamentals such as the choice of an effective business model, sustained profitability, growth, and superior marketing.

It also is evident in how the airline has responded to changes in the external competitive environment. Issues such as 9/11 and competitive responses from the world's largest airlines have allowed management at jetBlue to show their ability to overcome and adapt to such events in which they do not have full control.

However, most important of all is the attitude that management at jetBlue adheres to with regard to how they deal with people. Whether it be their own employees (no furloughs, #1 priority), their customers (exceptional service), or even their competitors(providing jumpseats to F/As without reciprocal agreements, or the lack of speaking ill towards competitors, a la Bethune & Carty). This airline has proven itself to be a consistent role model for all management teams in the industry.

By no means is jetBlue immune from tripping over itself through poor leadership, or clumsy management, but so far they've given no reason to suspect that is a problem which must be addressed over the near-term.

You can accuse me of drinking kool-aid, but the facts speak for themselves in this case.
 
And don't forget, jetBlue is listed on NASDAQ...

And only the best companies list on NASDAQ...

lol
 
Speedbird wrote:

"the lack of speaking ill towards competitors, a la Bethune & Carty"

Not to nit-pick, but Mr. Bethune is constantly speaking ill of others in the industry. He has repeatedly announced America West's bankrupcy (which hasn't happened yet) as well as commented on USAirways and United's CH. 11 proceedings. In fact, Continental was the only carrier other than United to issue a press release about UAL's bankrupcy, because, I suspect, of Bethune's comments. Bethune is often a guest on CNBC becuase he speaks his mind.

However, I would put the folks at Southwest into the category of not speaking ill of other airlines... They take advantage of other airlines weaknesses, but they don't discuss much of what goes on with their competition.
 
Speedbird wrote:

"the lack of speaking ill towards competitors, a la Bethune & Carty"

Not to nit-pick, but Mr. Bethune is constantly speaking ill of others in the industry. He has repeatedly announced America West's bankrupcy (which hasn't happened yet) as well as commented on USAirways and United's CH. 11 proceedings. In fact, Continental was the only carrier other than United to issue a press release about UAL's bankrupcy, because, I suspect, of Bethune's comments. Bethune is often a guest on CNBC becuase he speaks his mind.

However, I would put the folks at Southwest into the category of not speaking ill of other airlines... They take advantage of other airlines weaknesses, but they don't discuss much of what goes on with their competition.
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Well, Gordon never met a microphone he didn't like. He's a blowhard, albeit a successful blowhard.
 
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On 12/27/2002 5:05:53 PM b737gearboy wrote:

Speedbird wrote:

"the lack of speaking ill towards competitors, a la Bethune & Carty"

Not to nit-pick, but Mr. Bethune is constantly speaking ill of others in the industry. [/blockquote]

That IS what "Speedbird" was attempting to convey with his statement: That 'Gordo the Mouth' and, probably to a lesser extent, CAArty are indeed the backyard fence gossips of the industry, more than willing to dish the dirt on the competition.
No need to nit-pick, as you both share the same opinion...
 
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On 12/27/2002 9:23:20 PM mga707 wrote:


That IS what "Speedbird" was attempting to convey with his statement: That 'Gordo the Mouth' and, probably to a lesser extent, CAArty are indeed the backyard fence gossips of the industry, more than willing to dish the dirt on the competition.
No need to nit-pick, as you both share the same opinion...

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I think you are reading WAY too much into my comment. It was just that a comment, no nitpicking no capital letters. Geez relax already.
 
Farley wrote:

"Our guys are hands down the coolest"


Phew! That's a relief! I'm sure glad that success in business is solely dictated by how cool a company's management is!

Someone get Arthur Fonzarelli on the line, stat! Dave Siegel has a job for him.
 
Sorry to have insulted you. I'm just glad to be working for a group of people who are approachable, caring, and around alot to see what is going on with the company. All companies should be run like this. It's an unpopular concept called leadership.
While I'm at it, I think you may have noticed that our management does a great job (all coolness aside). I'll just leave that flippant remark about the Fonz unanswered.
 
"I don't think JetBlue has a better chance of being profitable than 100 other
predecessors with new airplanes, new employees, low fares, all touchy
feely ... all of 'em are losers. Most of these guys are smoking ragweed."

Gordon Bethune
CEO, Continental Airways
Time Magazine - June 2002
 
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On 12/25/2002 2:59:30 PM Farley wrote:

We don't have the same management as everyone else. Our guys are hands down the coolest, and they are good at what they do.

Farley,
I'm sure you are right, they are good at what they do. Just make sure that you understand that "what they do" is to make fortunes for themselves. You just enable them to do that and get a paycheck out of the deal. In the end, no matter what happens, you'll at best have a job and they will become rich(er).