92-834: JetBlue Airways Corporation (stylized as jetBlue ) is a major airline in the United States headquartered in Long Island City , in Queens , New York City . It also maintains corporate offices in Utah and Florida . JetBlue operates over 1,000 flights daily and serves 100 domestic and international network destinations in the Americas and Europe. The airline operates out of six hubs, with its primary being New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport . JetBlue has codeshare agreements with member airlines of Oneworld , SkyTeam and Star Alliance but
184-481: A cabin crew , as distinguished from pilots and engineers in the cockpit . The German Heinrich Kubis was the world's first flight attendant, in 1912. Kubis first attended to the passengers on board the DELAG Zeppelin LZ 10 Schwaben . He also attended to the famous LZ 129 Hindenburg and was on board when it burst into flames. He survived by jumping out a window when it neared the ground. Origins of
276-463: A registered nurse on an American airline was relaxed as more women were hired, and disappeared almost entirely during World War II as many nurses joined military nurse corps. Ruth Carol Taylor was the first African-American flight attendant in the United States. Hired in December 1957, on 11 February 1958, Taylor was the flight attendant on a Mohawk Airlines flight from Ithaca to New York,
368-583: A 292-room lodge that houses trainees attending the existing "JetBlue University" training facility, which opened in 2015. On May 21, 2008, JetBlue named Joel Peterson chairman and Frank Sica vice chairman of its board of directors, replacing David Neeleman, who had stepped down as CEO in 2007. On August 4, 2008, the Associated Press reported that JetBlue would replace their recycled pillows and blankets with an "eco-friendly" pillow and blanket package that passengers would have to purchase for use. This decision
460-456: A 50% increase), cervical cancer (1.0% compared to 0.70%), gastrointestinal cancer (0.47% compared to 0.27% – a 74% increase), thyroid cancer (0.67% compared to 0.56%) and higher rates of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers with reports of the latter increasing with every five years spent in the job. The study did not look into what causes this increase, but the authors said increased exposure to ionizing radiation from time spent in
552-403: A crew member requires some minimum years of service as flight attendant. Further training is mandatory, and chief pursers typically earn a higher salary than flight attendants because of the added responsibility and managerial role. The purser is in charge of the cabin crew, in a specific section of a larger aircraft, or the whole aircraft itself (if the purser is the highest ranking). On board
644-494: A different carrier. The agreement with American included JetBlue's 18 destinations not served by American and American's 12 international flights out of New York–JFK and Boston Logan. In addition, American gave JetBlue eight round trips slots out of Washington National in D.C. and two out of Westchester , New York. In return, JetBlue gave American six round trips out of New York–JFK. The agreement with American Airlines has since ended according to JetBlue's website. In January 2010,
736-405: A flight attendant derives from that of similar positions on passenger ships or passenger trains , but has more direct involvement with passengers because of the confined quarters on aircraft . Additionally, the job of a flight attendant revolves around safety to a much greater extent than those of similar staff on other forms of transportation. Flight attendants on board a flight collectively form
828-509: A gateway focus city to international destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America. New international routes from Orlando International Airport include Cancún , Mexico; Bridgetown, Barbados ; Bogotá , Colombia; Nassau, Bahamas ; San José, Costa Rica ; and Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic. In conjunction with the addition of new routes the airline continued significant expansion of operations at Orlando International Airport including
920-412: A larger aircraft, pursers assist the chief purser in managing the cabin. Pursers are flight attendants or a related job, typically with an airline for several years prior to application for, and further training to become a purser, and normally earn a higher salary than flight attendants because of the added responsibility and supervisory role. Minimum entry requirements for a career as a flight attendant
1012-483: A license to commence charter flights to Cuba, with flights departing from New York City. The weekly charter service began on July 3, 2015, with 150-seat Airbus A320s. In July 2016, JetBlue announced commercial flights from the United States to Cuba would commence in late August. On August 31, 2016, JetBlue Flight 387 from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport to Abel Santamaría Airport , in Santa Clara, became
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#17328632057601104-504: A medical evaluation. The role of a flight attendant is to "provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers". Typically flight attendants require holding a high school diploma or equivalent, and in the United States, the median annual wage for flight attendants was $ 50,500 in May 2017, higher than the median for all workers of $ 37,690. The number of flight attendants required on flights
1196-538: A number of emergency situations. In some countries, such as France, a degree is required, together with the Certificat de formation à la sécurité (Safety training certificate). Multilingual flight attendants are often in demand to accommodate international travellers. The languages most in demand, other than English, are French , Russian , Hindi , Spanish , Mandarin , Cantonese , Bengali , Japanese , Arabic , German , Portuguese , Italian , and Turkish . In
1288-533: A profit in that quarter. While its financial performance started showing signs of improvement, in February 2007, JetBlue faced a crisis, when the blizzard of 2007 hit the Northeast and Midwest, throwing the airline's operations into chaos. Because JetBlue followed the practice of never cancelling flights, it desisted from calling flights off, even when the ice storm hit and the airline was forced to keep several planes on
1380-549: A single aircraft, N651JB, an Airbus A320-232 dubbed "BetaBlue". People could access e-mail with a Wi-Fi capable Blackberry, or use Yahoo!'s e-mail and instant messaging with a Wi-Fi capable laptop, while in flight over the US. LiveTV in Melbourne, Florida, created and operated the "BetaBlue" prototype. The "BetaBlue" system utilized the bandwidth and infrastructure of defunct Airfone . On March 19, 2008, JetBlue added Orlando, Florida , as
1472-420: A single ticket for flights with connections in either New York JFK or Boston . Unlike traditional codeshare agreements , the partnership did not allow the airlines to directly sell seats on each other's flights. Therefore, customers initiated the purchase on one airline's website, and then were transferred to the other airline's website to complete the transaction. Following the February 2007 incident in which
1564-571: A summer and winter version, differentiated by colours and fabrics appropriate to the season : navy blue for winter, for example, khaki for summer. But as the role of women in the air grew, and airline companies began to realise the publicity value of their female flight attendants, more feminine lines and colours began to appear in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Some airlines began to commission designs from high-end department stores and still others called in noted designers or even milliners to create distinctive and attractive apparel. During
1656-717: A tie by J.D. Power in the North America Airline Satisfaction Study. On October 18, 2019, JetBlue and Norwegian Air Shuttle announced plans for an interline agreement that would permit sales of jointly-issued tickets, which if approved between the two airlines, would come into effect during 2020. The partnership was to take advantage of each airline having substantial pre-existing presence at New York–JFK, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale airports. In January 2020, JetBlue announced its intentions to start becoming carbon neutral on all domestic flights. In February 2020, Joel Peterson announced his intention to retire from
1748-597: Is usually the completion of the final year of high school ; e.g. the International Baccalaureate . Many prospective attendants have a post-secondary school diploma in an area such as tourism and a number hold degrees having worked in other occupations, often as teachers. Graduates holding degrees, including those with studies in one or more foreign languages , communication studies , business studies , public relations or nursing can be favoured by employers. Flight attendants are normally trained in
1840-699: Is a form of radiation that comes from space and intensifies as altitude above sea level increases. The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization lists ionizing radiation as a known human carcinogen . Passengers are also exposed to this type of cosmic radiation, but they spend considerably less time on average in the air than crew members. An online travel agency report found, in particular, that travelling adults in Britain spend on average 306 hours on flights to holiday destinations during their lifetime. In contrast, according to
1932-567: Is inspired by the traditional batik motif of 'Parang Gondosuli'. Vietnam Airlines flight attendants wear red áo dài and Air India flight attendants wear a sari on all passenger flights. During the mid-1990s, several US-based airlines required female flight attendants to wear shoes with heels. Minimum heel heights ranged from one-half inch to the two inches mandated by USAir . Flight attendants at times avoided censure by changing into more comfortable shoes during flights, since their supervisors were less likely to be present there. In 2015,
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#17328632057602024-497: Is mandated by each country's regulations. In the US, for light planes with 19 or fewer seats, or, if weighing more than 7,500 pounds, 9 or fewer seats, no flight attendant is needed; on larger aircraft, one flight attendant per 50 passenger seats is required. The majority of flight attendants for most airlines are female, though a substantial number of males have entered the industry since 1980. Prior to each flight, flight attendants and pilots go over safety and emergency checklists,
2116-635: Is not a member of any of the three alliances. JetBlue was incorporated in Delaware in August 1998 with its headquarters in Forest Hills, Queens . David Neeleman founded the company in August 1999, under the name "NewAir". JetBlue started by following Southwest 's approach of offering low-cost travel, but sought to distinguish itself by its amenities, such as in-flight entertainment , TV at every seat, and Sirius XM satellite radio . JetBlue sought to primarily use
2208-417: Is vital that flight attendants remain aware as the majority of emergencies occur during take-off and landing. Upon landing, flight attendants must remain stationed at exits and monitor the airplane and cabin as passengers disembark the plane. They also assist any special needs passengers and small children off the airplane and escort children, while following the proper paperwork and ID process to escort them to
2300-550: The Airbus A320 family to ease maintenance, taking a similar approach to Southwest , which primarily uses the Boeing 737 . In September 1999, the airline was awarded 75 initial take-off/landing slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport and received its USDOT CPCN authorization in February 2000. It commenced operations on February 11, 2000, with services to Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale . JetBlue's founders had set out to call
2392-592: The Embraer 190 . As a result of the economic effects caused by the pandemic, the company launched voluntary separation and extended time off programs. By August 2020, JetBlue, along with Southwest Airlines , implemented strict policies for the wearing of face masks, which did not allow for medical exemptions, as part of its procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline also announced that it would also continue to block middle seats through at least mid-October. In June 2020,
2484-502: The September 11 attacks . The company's planned initial public offering was put on hold due to the attacks and subsequent downturn. The IPO took place in April 2002. The airline sector responded to JetBlue and Southwest's market presence by starting mini-rival carriers: Delta Air Lines started Song , and United Airlines launched another rival called Ted . Song has since been disbanded and
2576-576: The US Federal Aviation Administration , a flight attendant can spend up to 30 hours of flight time in seven consecutive days and in some cases more. The effect of cosmic radiation on air crew members is a subject of a growing body of research. Cabin crew members are also regularly exposed to more UV radiation than the general population, which can make these workers more vulnerable to skin cancers . The U.S. National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) reports that aircrew have
2668-558: The cabin for any unusual smells or situations. They assist with the loading of carry-on baggage , checking for weight, size and dangerous goods . They make sure those sitting in emergency exit rows are willing and able to assist in an evacuation. They then give a safety demonstration or monitor passengers as they watch a safety video. They then must "secure the cabin" ensuring tray tables are stowed, seats are in their upright positions, armrests down and carry-ons stowed correctly and seat belts are fastened prior to take-off. Once up in
2760-499: The hub or headquarters city of an airline over a period that may run from four weeks to six months, depending on the country and airline. The main focus of training is safety, and attendants are evaluated for each type of aircraft in which they work. One of the most elaborate training facilities was Breech Academy , which Trans World Airlines (TWA) opened in 1969 in Overland Park, Kansas . Other airlines also sent their attendants to
2852-573: The "Big 4" major U.S. national airlines This article about an aviation -related organization is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Flight attendant A flight attendant , also known as a steward ( MASC ) or stewardess ( FEM ), or air host ( MASC ) or hostess ( FEM ), is a member of the aircrew aboard commercial flights , many business jets and some government aircraft. Collectively called cabin crew , flight attendants are primarily responsible for passenger safety and comfort. The role of
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2944-429: The 1960s a number of airlines were promoting their flight attendant's uniforms as evoking the refinement of haute couture . In March 1962, Air France launched a new model designed by Marc Bohan at Dior , introducing the "Air France" model into its Haute couture collection. Hainan Airlines debuted their new flight attendant's uniforms at the 2017 Laurence Xu Haute Couture Show at Paris Couture Week in 2017. Since
3036-656: The 1960s, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) was known for brightly coloured female flight attendant uniforms that included short miniskirts . In the early 1970s, the uniform changed to hotpants . In the 1930s, the first flight attendant uniforms were designed to be durable, practical, and inspire confidence in passengers with the first female flight attendants dressing in uniforms resembling nurses ' outfits. The first female flight attendants for United Airlines wore green berets, green capes and nurse's shoes and other airlines, such as Eastern Air Lines , actually dressed female flight attendants in nurses' uniforms . However, by
3128-698: The 1980s, Asian airlines, especially national flag carrier ones, usually feature the traditional dress and fabrics of their respective country in their female flight attendants' uniform. It was meant as a marketing strategy to showcase their national culture as well as to convey welcoming warmth and hospitality. For example, Thai Airways flight attendants are required to change from their corporate purple suits into traditional Thai costume prior to passengers boarding. Garuda Indonesia , Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines female flight attendants wear modified kebayas , with batik motifs on them. For example, Garuda Indonesia's design, called 'Lereng Garuda Indonesia'
3220-718: The A321neo into the longer range Airbus A321LR to serve the new routes. On May 1, 2019, JetBlue named Michael Stromer as Chief Product Officer, Technology. Stromer was selected to lead the design and execution of the digital commerce web and mobile applications that support revenue initiatives; technology for airport, customer support (reservations), system operations, technical operations, flight, and inflight teams, as well as back office products. On May 29, 2019, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Low Cost Carriers" in
3312-689: The Brewster Building by mid-2012. On March 22, 2010, JetBlue turned down incentives from the City of Orlando and announced its headquarters would keep its Forest Hills office, start leasing and using a new office in the Brewster Building in Long Island City, New York . in Queens Plaza in Long Island City, move its headquarters there in mid-2012, and start a joint branding deal with New York State using
3404-847: The CEO of JetBlue, Dave Barger, and Governor of Florida Charlie Crist met in Tallahassee, Florida , to discuss a possible move of the airline's headquarters to Orlando. On March 22, 2010, JetBlue announced it headquarters would remain in the New York City area, in Long Island City, because of the airline's historical links to the city, the cost of staff relocations, the airline's desire to retain access to financial markets, and because Aer Lingus and Lufthansa , JetBlue's marketing partners, fly into JFK Airport . JetBlue planned to combine its Forest Hills and Darien, Connecticut , offices, together about 1,000 employees, into about 200,000 square feet (19,000 m) in
3496-967: The Israeli airline El Al introduced a requirement that female flight attendants wear high heels until passengers had been seated. The airline's workers' union stated that the requirement would endanger the health and safety of the flight attendants and instructed its members to ignore the rule. Later that year the requirement was removed. Until 2016, some female crew members on British Airways were required to wear British Airways' standard "ambassador" uniform, which has not traditionally included trousers. In 2019, Virgin Atlantic began to allow its female flight attendants to wear trousers and not wear makeup. In 2023, Qantas declared that it had ended uniform rules based on gender. Female flight attendants are no longer required to wear high heels, male flight attendants can wear makeup, and flight attendants of any gender can wear
3588-551: The National Mediation Board because fewer than 35 percent of eligible employees supported an election. JetBlue experienced its first-ever quarterly loss during the fourth quarter of 2005 when the airline lost $ 42.4 million, enough to make them unprofitable for the entire year of 2005. The loss was the airline's first since going public in 2002. In addition to that, JetBlue forecasted a loss for 2006, citing high fuel prices, operating inefficiency, and fleet costs. During
3680-530: The United Kingdom had "cabin boys" or "stewards"; in the 1920s. In the US, Stout Airways was the first to employ stewards in 1926, working on Ford Trimotor planes between Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan . Western Airlines (1928) and Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) (1929) were the first US carriers to employ stewards to serve food. Ten-passenger Fokker aircraft used in the Caribbean had stewards in
3772-520: The United States, airlines with international routes pay an additional stipend for language skills on top of flight pay, and some airlines hire specifically for certain languages when launching international destinations. Carole Middleton recalled when interviewed in 2018 that "you had to be able to speak another language" when working in the industry in the 1970s. Most airlines have height requirements for safety reasons, making sure that all flight attendants can reach overhead safety equipment. Typically,
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3864-477: The United States, the Federal Aviation Administration requires flight attendants on aircraft with 20 or more seats and used by an air carrier for transportation to hold a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency . It shows that a level of required training has been met. It is not limited to the air carrier at which the attendant is employed (although some initial documents showed the airlines where
3956-463: The United States, the job was one of only a few in the 1930s to permit women, which, coupled with the Great Depression , led to large numbers of applicants for the few positions available. Two thousand women applied for just 43 positions offered by Transcontinental and Western Airlines in December 1935. Female flight attendants rapidly replaced male ones, and by 1936, they had all but taken over
4048-534: The acceptable height for this is over 152 cm but under 185 cm tall. Regional carriers using small aircraft with low ceilings can have height restrictions. Some airlines, such as EVA Air , have height requirements for purely aesthetic purposes. The overall presentation of flight attendants' has transformed over the decades. Many early uniforms had a strongly military appearance; hats, jackets , and skirts showed simple straight lines and military details like epaulettes and brass buttons. Many uniforms had
4140-576: The acquisition, Lufthansa stated they planned to seek operational cooperation with JetBlue. Lufthansa planned to offer connections to JetBlue flights in Boston, New York (JFK), and Orlando International Airport (no longer a connection). After making a codeshare agreement with Lufthansa that went into effect in 2010, JetBlue transitioned to the Sabre reservation system enabling the airlines to sell tickets on each other's flights, transfer luggage and passengers between
4232-524: The air, flight attendants will usually serve drinks and/or food to passengers using an airline service trolley . The duty has led to the mildly derogatory slang term "trolley dolly". When not performing customer service duties, flight attendants must periodically conduct cabin checks and listen for any unusual noises or situations. Checks must also be done on the lavatory to ensure the smoke detector has not been disabled or destroyed and to restock supplies as needed. Regular cockpit checks must be done to ensure
4324-403: The airline "Taxi" and therefore have a yellow livery to associate the airline with New York. The idea was dropped after threats from investor JP Morgan to pull its share ($ 40 million of the total $ 128 million) of the airline's initial funding unless the name was changed. JetBlue was one of only a few U.S. airlines that made a profit during the sharp downturn in airline travel following
4416-463: The airline added exclusive content from The New York Times in the form of an in-flight video magazine, conducted by Times journalists and content from NYTimes.com. On November 8, 2007, JetBlue appointed Ed Barnes as interim CFO, following the resignation of former CFO John Harvey. On December 13, 2007, JetBlue and Germany-based Lufthansa announced JetBlue's intent to sell 19% of JetBlue to Lufthansa, pending approval from US regulators. Following
4508-405: The airline announced several new routes across its network, including point-to-point routes between the northeastern United States and Florida, and new transcontinental routes from Newark Liberty International Airport . Along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation, the airline announced that over 60% of its employees were interested in taking early retirement or long-term leave from
4600-460: The airline continued to add planes and routes to the fleet at a brisk pace. In addition in 2006, the IAM ( International Association of Machinists ) attempted to unionize JetBlue's ramp service workers, in a move that was described by JetBlue's COO Dave Barger as "pretty hypocritical", as the IAM opposed JetBlue's creation when it was founded as New Air in 1998. The union organizing petition was dismissed by
4692-521: The airline partnered with 20th Century Fox's film The Simpsons Movie to become the "Official Airline of Springfield". In addition a contest was held in which the grand prize would be a trip on JetBlue to Los Angeles to attend the premiere of the film. The airline's website was also redecorated with characters and their favorite JetBlue destinations and the company was taken over by the show/film's businessman villain Montgomery Burns . In August 2007,
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#17328632057604784-399: The airline was forced to cancel nearly 1,700 flights due to winter storms, JetBlue's board of directors replaced founder and chief executive officer David Neeleman with Dave Barger. He had politicked the board, while Neeleman was busy publicly apologizing. Barger's ascendancy caused widespread demoralization in the ranks. He became JetBlue's new chief executive officer on May 10, 2007. Neeleman,
4876-519: The airline's board of directors at the end of his current term, and was succeeded by Peter Boneparth in May 2020. Peterson had been part of the airline's board of directors since 1999 and served as chairman since 2008. JetBlue made changes to its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated impacts on aviation . This included the reduction of passenger capacity by blocking middle seats on its Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, and aisle seats on
4968-552: The airline, were fired if they exceeded weight regulations, and were required to be single upon hiring and fired if they got married. ) In 1968, the EEOC declared age restrictions on flight attendants' employment to be illegal sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . Also in 1968, the EEOC ruled that sex was not a bona fide occupational requirement to be a flight attendant. The restriction of hiring only women
5060-461: The bloom that goes with perfect health. Three decades later, a 1966 New York Times classified ad for stewardesses at Eastern Airlines listed these requirements: A high school graduate, single (widows and divorcees with no children considered), 20 years of age (girls 19 1 ⁄ 2 may apply for future consideration). 5'2" but no more than 5'9", weight 105 to 135 in proportion to height and have at least 20/40 vision without glasses. Appearance
5152-576: The cabin may include engine leakages, pesticides and flame retardants , which contain compounds that may act as hormone disruptors and increase the risk of some cancers . Flight attendants often have disrupted sleep cycles . They are more likely to have disruptions in their sleep patterns because they may work at night, cross time zones, and have irregular schedules. There is some evidence linking sleep disruptions to increased cancer risk. Flight attendants may also have different lifestyle behaviours related to diet, physical activity, and health care than
5244-489: The cabin, fires, depressurization , on-board births and deaths, dangerous goods and spills in the cabin, emergency evacuations , hijackings , and water landings . On most commercial airliners, flight attendants receive various forms of notification on board the aircraft in the form of audible chimes and coloured lights above their stations. While the colours and chimes are not universal and may vary between airlines and aircraft types, these colours and chimes are generally
5336-603: The city. On October 13, 2009, the airline unveiled a modification to its livery in commemoration of the upcoming tenth anniversary of the airline in February 2010. Besides a new tail design, the revised livery includes larger "billboard" titles extending down over the passenger windows at the front of the aircraft. The logo word 'jetBlue' was no longer silver and blue but a dark, navy blue. In 2010, JetBlue entered into interline booking agreements with South African Airways and American Airlines to facilitate luggage transfers between airlines for passengers with connecting flights on
5428-450: The civilian United States Merchant Marine on which US aviation is somewhat modelled. Due to international conventions and agreements, in which all ships' personnel who sail internationally are similarly documented by their respective countries, the U.S. Merchant Marine assigns such duties to the chief steward in the overall rank and command structure of which pursers are not positionally represented or rostered. Imperial Airways of
5520-703: The company's founder and largest individual investor, became a nonexecutive chairman as a result of the change. In early 2007, JetBlue also faced reliability problems with its Embraer 190 fleet. For a couple of months, JetBlue contracted ExpressJet to operate four Embraer ERJ 145 regional jets on behalf of JetBlue. While this was going on, two E190 aircraft at a time were sent to an Embraer maintenance facility in Nashville , Tennessee . ExpressJet operated routes between Boston Logan and Buffalo, New York, and Washington Dulles, and between New York–JFK and Columbus, Ohio (since terminated), and Richmond, Virginia. In July 2007,
5612-416: The designated person picking them up. Flight attendants are trained to deal with a wide variety of emergencies, and are trained in first aid . More frequent situations may include a bleeding nose, illness, small injuries, intoxicated passengers, aggressive and anxiety stricken passengers. Emergency training includes rejected take-offs , emergency landings , cardiac and in-flight medical situations, smoke in
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#17328632057605704-648: The eighth year in a row. In October 2013, JetBlue introduced Mint , a premium cabin service on transcontinental and select Caribbean flights. The service began in 2014, using the Airbus A321 -231 aircraft ordered by JetBlue. These planes are outfitted with winglets, as well as with "lie flat" seats, and moveable partitions that can create small suites on the airplane. Called "Mint" by JetBlue, these planes are configured with 16 business-class seats and 143 economy seats, instead of an all-economy configuration of 190 seats. On April 22, 2014, JetBlue's pilots voted to unionize for
5796-539: The era of gambling trips to Havana, Cuba from Key West, Florida . Lead flight attendants would in many instances also perform the role of purser, steward, or chief steward in modern aviation terminology. The first female flight attendant was a 25-year-old registered nurse named Ellen Church . Hired by United Airlines in 1930, she also first envisioned nurses on aircraft. Other airlines followed suit, hiring nurses to serve as flight attendants, then called "stewardesses" or "air hostesses", on most of their flights. In
5888-494: The firm. Major airlines of the United States The United States Department of Transportation defines a major carrier or major airline carrier as a U.S.-based airline that posts more than $ 1 billion in revenue during a fiscal year , grouped accordingly as "Group III". According to FY2024 revenues, 19 major carriers meet the requirement for Group III status. (*) - considered one of
5980-410: The first quarter report, CEO David Neeleman, President Dave Barger, and then-CFO John Owen released JetBlue's "Return to Profitability" ("RTP") plan, stating in detail how they would curtail costs and improve revenue to regain profitability. The plan called for $ 50 million in annual cost cuts and a push to boost revenue by $ 30 million. In October 2006, JetBlue announced a net loss of $ 500,000 for
6072-480: The first scheduled commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in 55 years. Only charter flights were allowed under previous rules, which required that passengers had to arrive more than four hours before the scheduled departure and often endure long lines for documentation checks, late flight arrivals, and pay high baggage fees. In 2016, JetBlue had bid for but was unsuccessful in acquiring Virgin America , which
6164-612: The first time since the airline was founded, with 71% casting ballots in favor of joining the ALPA . On September 18, 2014, Dave Barger announced his resignation from the company effective February 16, 2015, following several reports that investors and the board were unhappy with his performance. He was replaced on the board and as CEO by Robin Hayes . During the last few days of June and the first few days of July 2015, JetBlue began charging for bags in certain booking classes, leaving Southwest Airlines
6256-610: The first time such a position had been held by an African American. She was let go within six months as a result of Mohawk's then-common marriage ban. Patricia Banks-Edmiston became the first black flight attendant for Capitol Airlines in 1960 following a legal complaint which resulted in the airline being required to hire her. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 's first complainants were female flight attendants complaining of age discrimination, weight requirements, and bans on marriage. (Originally female flight attendants were fired if they reached age 32 or 35 depending on
6348-404: The general population which could affect overall health and cancer risk. Many of the flight attendants working today were exposed to second-hand in-flight smoke until 1998 with partial smoking bans enacted in 1988. The long-term effects of this historical secondhand smoke exposure have not been well characterized. Flight attendants are exposed to verbal and sexual harassment . Studies in
6440-572: The ground. Because of this, passengers were kept waiting at the airports for their flights to take off. In some cases, passengers who had already boarded their planes were kept waiting on the apron for several hours and were not allowed to disembark. However, after all this, the airline was eventually forced to cancel most of its flights because of prevailing weather conditions. This reportedly cost JetBlue $ 30 million. In February 2007, JetBlue announced its partnership with Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus to allow passengers to switch between airlines on
6532-406: The health and safety of the pilot(s). They must also respond to call lights dealing with special requests. During turbulence, flight attendants must ensure the cabin is secure. Prior to landing, all loose items, trays and rubbish must be collected and secured along with service and galley equipment. All hot liquids must be disposed of. A final cabin check must then be completed prior to landing . It
6624-747: The holders were working), and is the attendant's personal property. It does have two ratings, Group 1 and Group 2 (listed on the certificate as "Group I" and "Group II"). Either or both of these may be earned depending upon the general type of aircraft, ( propeller or turbojet ), on which the holder has trained. There are also training schools, not affiliated with any particular airline, where students generally not only undergo generic, though otherwise practically identical, training to flight attendants employed by an airline, but also take curriculum modules to help them gain employment. These schools often use actual airline equipment for their lessons, though some are equipped with full simulator cabins capable of replicating
6716-542: The iconic I Love NY logo. On October 18, 2011, CFO Ed Barnes resigned, effective immediately. The company's treasurer, Mark Powers, was appointed interim CFO until a replacement for Barnes could be found. In 2011, JetBlue made interline agreements with Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways , both of which have since been terminated. On June 13, 2012, JetBlue ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Low Cost Carriers in North America" by J.D. Power and Associates for
6808-674: The largest average annual effective dose of all U.S. radiation workers. Poor cabin air quality is a subject of ongoing study in relation to symptoms such as headache , fatigue , fever , and respiratory difficulties among many others that have been reported by flight attendants, particularly on long-haul routes. There is also much concern regarding the transmission of contagious diseases , particularly tuberculosis . An open question remains whether these complaints are due to poor cabin air quality or to other factors inherent in flights, such as lowered barometric pressure , hypoxia , low humidity , etc. Other chemical contaminants found in
6900-440: The locations of emergency equipment and other features specific to that aircraft type. Boarding particulars are verified, such as special needs passengers, small children travelling alone, or VIPs. Weather conditions are discussed including anticipated turbulence . A safety check is conducted to ensure equipment such as life-vests , torches (flash lights) and firefighting equipment are on board and in proper condition. They monitor
6992-473: The lost revenue from the removal of seats, and further lightening the aircraft, resulting in less fuel burned. In January 2007, JetBlue returned to profitability with a fourth quarter profit in 2006, reversing a quarterly loss in the year-earlier period. As part of the RTP plan, 2006's full-year loss was $ 1 million compared to 2005's full-year loss of $ 20 million. JetBlue was one of the few major airlines to post
7084-537: The most commonly used: The chief purser (CP), also titled as in-flight service manager (ISM), flight service manager (FSM), customer service manager (CSM) or cabin service director (CSD) is the senior flight attendant in the chain of command of flight attendants. While not necessarily the most-senior crew members on a flight (in years of service to their respective carrier), chief pursers can have varying levels of "in-flight" or "on board" bidding seniority or tenure in relation to their flying partners. To reach this position,
7176-411: The only major U.S. carrier to not charge for bags. For the classes in which bag check fees were charged (generally the lowest class of fares offered; JetBlue offered three classes of fares), the cost was $ 20 for the first bag and $ 35 for the second, which was the lowest in the United States besides Frontier Airlines with similar prices. On May 6, 2015, JetBlue was one of the first airlines to be granted
7268-407: The role. They were selected not only for their knowledge but also for their physical characteristics. A 1936 New York Times article described the requirements: The girls who qualify for hostesses must be petite; weight 100 to 118 pounds; height 5 feet to 5 feet 4 inches; age 20 to 26 years. Add to that the rigid physical examination each must undergo four times every year, and you are assured of
7360-417: The same type of jewelry and have long hair in a ponytail or bun. A 2018 study found higher instances of breast cancer , melanoma , uterine , gastrointestinal , cervical , and thyroid cancers reported in flight attendants in contrast to the general population. Specifically, the increased cancer cases reported were seen in breast cancer (3.4% of flight crew compared to 2.3% in the general population -
7452-411: The school. However, during the fare wars, the school's viability declined and it closed around 1988. Safety training includes, but is not limited to: emergency passenger evacuation management, use of evacuation slides/life rafts, in-flight firefighting , first aid , CPR , defibrillation , ditching/emergency landing procedures, decompression emergencies , crew resource management , and security. In
7544-516: The space of terminals 6 and 7. In April 2018, JetBlue announced their return to Ontario International Airport in southern California after ten years, as well as new service to Steamboat Springs in Colorado, and Bozeman in Montana. In April 2019, JetBlue announced that it would launch transatlantic flights to London from Boston and New York. The airline added that it would be converting 13 orders for
7636-463: The thinner upper atmosphere , poor cabin air quality as well as disrupted sleep and meal cycles could be factors. Other studies have found increased rates of breast and skin cancer , reduced respiratory health, adverse reproductive and perinatal outcomes, musculoskeletal injuries , and higher rates of mental health conditions in flight attendants. Flight attendants and crew members are known to be exposed to cosmic ionizing radiation which
7728-411: The third quarter, and a plan to regain that loss by deferring some of their E190 deliveries and by selling five of their A320s. In December 2006, JetBlue, as part of their RTP plan, removed a row of seats from their A320s to lighten the aircraft by 904 lb (410 kg) and reduce the cabin crew size from four to three (per FAA regulation requiring one flight attendant per 50 seats), thus offsetting
7820-598: The two carriers, and combine frequent flyer programs. By making use of JetBlue's North America routes as a feeder network, the agreement put Lufthansa in a position to operate quasi-hubs in New York–JFK and Boston Logan. In the March edition of Airways Magazine , it was announced that once JetBlue partnered with Yahoo! and with BlackBerry producer Research in Motion , that the airline would offer free, limited Wi-Fi capabilities on
7912-402: The word "steward" in transportation are reflected in the term " chief steward " as used in maritime transport terminology. The term purser and chief steward are often used interchangeably describing personnel with similar duties among seafaring occupations. This lingual derivation results from the international British maritime tradition (i.e. chief mate ) dating back to the 14th century and
8004-632: Was a departure to Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico , departing at 11:59pm. In 2009, JetBlue announced that it was looking for a new headquarters location, and was considering moving either within the New York City metropolitan area or to the Orlando, Florida , area. In April 2009, Helen Marshall , the president of the Borough of Queens, said that the City of New York was trying to keep JetBlue in
8096-411: Was considered one of the most important factors to become a stewardess. At that time, airlines believed that the exploitation of female sexuality would increase their profits; thus the uniforms of female flight attendants were often formfitting, complete with white gloves and high heels. In the United States, they were required to be unmarried and were fired if they decided to wed. The requirement to be
8188-1021: Was in a series of moves designed to increase revenue. JetBlue told the Associated Press that it expected to collect $ 40 million from passengers selecting seats with extra legroom and $ 20 million from passengers paying $ 15 to check a second bag. In September 2008, JetBlue began charging passengers $ 10–30 for an extended-leg-room seat depending on the length of the flight. In September 2008, JetBlue began operating Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin 's campaign aircraft, an E190. On October 22, 2008, JetBlue opened its new primary hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport ( JFK ), Terminal 5 , or simply T5 , costing approximately $ 800 million to build. The first flight arrived from Bob Hope Airport (B6 #358) at 5:06am followed by arrivals from Oakland International Airport and Long Beach Airport , respectively. The new T5 replaced JetBlue's old hub at JFK Terminal 6. The last flight to operate out of T6
8280-401: Was instead acquired by Alaska Air Group . In November 2016, JetBlue painted one of their Airbus A320 aircraft, N763JB, in a 1960s retrojet livery, dubbed "What's Old is Blue Again". The livery's maiden flight was on Friday, from New York JFK to Palm Springs. In July 2017, JetBlue announced it was taking qualifications to develop a terminal at JFK that would not only occupy terminal 5 but also
8372-465: Was lifted at all airlines in 1971 due to the decisive court case of Diaz v. Pan Am . The Airline Deregulation Act was passed in 1978, and the no-marriage rule was eliminated throughout the US airline industry by the 1980s. The last such broad categorical discrimination, the weight restrictions, were relaxed in the 1990s through litigation and negotiations. Airlines still often have vision and height requirements and may require flight attendants to pass
8464-530: Was reabsorbed by Delta and Ted reabsorbed by United. In October 2005, JetBlue's quarterly profit had plunged from US$ 8.1 million to $ 2.7 million largely due to rising fuel costs. Operational issues, fuel prices, and low fares, JetBlue's hallmark, were bringing its financial performance down. In addition, with higher costs related to the airline's numerous amenities, JetBlue was becoming less competitive. For many years, analysts had predicted that JetBlue's growth rate would become unsustainable. Despite this,
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