JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes discusses what his company is doing to increase passenger confidence in flying and the challenges travelers face, such as the required quarantines in several countries and part of the US.
JetBlue restarted its business class, known as Mint, on Monday, hoping for a recovery with transatlantic travel after the pandemic sparked a dismal year in flights and sales.
“Mint was an idea to make premium travel across the US less stuffy and more affordable, and its performance has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations to go beyond New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer, JetBlue. “It is remarkable how Mint’s thoughtful design resonated with customers as we have successfully grown it to more than 30 routes. We put our heart into this redesign of Mint and were inspired by our original vision to provide customers with an exceptional experience at a lower rate – and that’s what JetBlue is all about. “
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT FOX BUSINESS
Launching to London this summer using new Airbus A321LR aircraft, the new business class features 24 private suites with a sliding door for each Mint customer and numerous residential-inspired design touches, such as a custom-designed seat cushion offering luxurious comfort to travelers.
The airline is also introducing Mint Studio which offers more space than any other US airline. Each plane has two front row studios that offer plenty of space to work or relax.
All spaces are designed with dedicated privacy dividers as all-private suites have become the new travel luxury.
Airlines look past spring and hope that as more people get vaccinated against COVID-19, airlines can save something from the peak summer vacation season.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Last week, Southwest, American and JetBlue reported that they lost $ 3.5 billion in the last three months of the year. All posted bleak outlook for the current quarter that reflected a similar pessimism from Delta, United and Alaska, which had previously posted financial results.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | Change | Change% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBLU | JETBLUE AIRWAYS | 14.32 | -0.02 | -0.14% |
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 44.79 | +0.85 | + 1.93% |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 16.84 | -0.33 | -1.92% |
| FROM | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 37.82 | -0.14 | -0.37% |
| ALK | ALASKA AIR GROUP | 49.89 | +1.06 | + 2.17% |
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HLDG. | 39.94 | -0.06 | -0.14% |
JetBlue reported a loss of $ 381 million, after reporting a profit in the fourth quarter of 2019. The New York-based airline said the adjusted loss was $ 1.53 per share, compared to the average expected loss of $ 1 , 72 per share in the Zacks survey.
For the full year, JetBlue lost $ 1.36 billion.
Shares of JetBlue were almost unchanged on the news on Monday.