JetBlue scales back growth plans for aircraft

[DieselDragRacer]

By Samantha Bomkamp, AP Transportation Writer
NEW YORK — JetBlue Airways is slowing deliveries of new aircraft to steady its growth and control costs.


The airline, based in Forest Hills, N.Y., will now take delivery of 4 Airbus A320s next year instead of the 8 previously planned, CEO Dave Barger said at an investor conference Tuesday.


JetBlue has also pushed back two A320 deliveries in 2012. The airline will take delivery of the 6 A320s planned for this 2010 and 2011 in 2015 instead.


The airline will take 1 extra Embraer 190s in 2011, bringing that total to 5 deliveries. But it will push back deliveries of 7 of those planes in 2012, 5 in 2013 and 2014 and 2 in both 2015 and 2016.


As recently as 2006, the company was taking delivery of a new plane every 10 days. Since Barger took the helm in 2007, the company has focused on scaling back its growth to avoid the hefty losses commonly seen at bigger airlines.


JetBlue currently owns 86 A320s and 10 E190s. It's leasing 24 A320s and 31E190s. They are the only planes JetBlue flies.

 

[kwick]

The Jetblue flight that returned to
SJU had like 30 people on board.

Now they're cancelling orders.

Maybe Spirit, who are adding
aircraft, is proving that the
customers just wants lower prices.

 

[Fins Up]

Growth is overrated. We should just keep circling the wagons for another decade or so.

 

[jmreii]

I think I will punch out and head for my alternate.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

No growth.... cost go up.....

One of the demands of unfettered capitalism.... on a planet of limited size and resources, capitalism must grow and grow and grow....

 

[Splert]

We are growing...

But not at the rate of our firm deliveries.

We have something close to 120 firm deliveries over the next 4-5 years. We will not take anything near that number and neither will any other airline unless the economy picks up and picks up reeeeeealy fast.

 

[clickclickboom]

The Jetblue flight that returned to
SJU had like 30 people on board.

Now they're cancelling orders.

Maybe Spirit, who are adding
aircraft, is proving that the
customers just wants lower prices.

I know only taking 9 new planes in 2010,, pretty soon we will be giving bj's to homeless people for left overs or meth hits..

 

[CRJFlyer]

We are growing...

But not at the rate of our firm deliveries.

We have something close to 120 firm deliveries over the next 4-5 years. We will not take anything near that number and neither will any other airline unless the economy picks up and picks up reeeeeealy fast.[/QUOTE]

But then by default the oil prices will climb very fast too! I see a re-accuring theme here...

Didn't this just happen like 3 years ago. Oil prices high, we can't make money, now economy sucks, can't make money...hmmm

 

[johnsonrod]

VA and Allegiant are hiring and seem to be growing at a faster rate. Just wish their pay was growing as well... I think AirTran is also hiring.

 

[Ski-N-Fly]

So JetBlue is making money, and still getting airplanes? Why do people complain that the company is not growing fast enough? Remember Peoples Express? They grew, and grew, and grew, and ummmmm......where are they now? Patience people......patience. While other airlines are laying off employees, JetBlue is hiring. Some people are just never satisfied. Just my two cents.