Jet Blue Airways JetBlue Airways took to the skies in 2000 under a novel concept: bringing humanity back to air travel. Based at New York's Kennedy International Airport, JetBlue, a non-union airline, distinguished itself from other low-fare carriers such as Southwest Airlines by offering seat-back entertainment systems with live television, comfortable seats and blue corn chips. During the last six years, when traditional airlines were piling up more than $40 billion in losses, JetBlue grew to $1.7 billion in annual revenue and became increasingly popular with travelers. But now that fuel prices have pushed up expenses for all airlines, and older carriers have sharply cut their own labor costs, the advantage JetBlue enjoyed as a start-up is greatly reduced. JetBlue — too new to have built up excessive costs that can now be trimmed, is trying mightily to raise fares in a bid to restore profits after surging fuel prices caused it to lose $42.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2009.
The trends in the U.S. airline industry and how these trends might impact a company’s strategy The airline industry is susceptible to upturns and downturns with the trends in the economy. A growing economy and booming business mean greater demand for air travel, and a slow-down in the economy means reduced demand, consequent unutilized capacity and intensified competition. The availability of venture capital and other capital sources have an impact on the number of new entrants into the industry. Interest rate fluctuations have an impact on the cost of operations for companies that have high levels of debt. As a result, the JetBlue has struggled to survive. In 2008, crude oil prices increased to a record $140 per barrel (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 2010). This dramatic price increase caused airlines to Struggle to offset the cost of fuel. Many began implementing