From Publishers Weekly
This compact and cogent study of JetBlue is also a biography of its founder, David Neeleman. Neeleman had experience with local airlines and Southwestern, as well as contact with Virgin Atlantic's buccaneering Richard Branson, when he decided in the late '90s to found his own discount airline, now the most successful low-cost carrier since Southwestern. JetBlue has had its ups and downs—9/11 was handled extremely well; on the other hand, a major breach of security put passenger data into the hands of government security investigators. The carrier has also been subjected to major and, the author says, not overly scrupulous competitive tactics from its leading rival, Delta. On the business side, Peterson,
Condé Nast Traveler contributing editor, focuses on how ossified the traditional major carriers had become and how thoroughly they had tended to reduce their passengers (whom JetBlue calls "customers") into servants of existing regulations, rather than make regulations and procedures serve the customers. The book is also full of contextual snapshots, including the sad state of New York's JFK airport, which JetBlue is trying to make a significant domestic hub again. While not quite hagiographic, the book lauds Peterson for working hard to implement a more congenial solution to air travel's dilemmas; many readers will agree and relish the details.
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Product Description
Five years ago, an unknown entrepreneur named David Neeleman uprooted his wife and nine kids from Utah to New York to start a revolutionary airline that would make jaded travelers fall in love with flying again. Against all odds, Neeleman has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. JetBlue Airways has already reached $1 billion a year in sales, is consistently profitable despite the worst downturn in aviation history, and has the highest consumer ratings in the business.
Barbara S. Peterson has been reporting on JetBlue since before its first plane took off. She’s the only book author to gain full access to all the major players in the story, including the CEO and his inner circle. She even got to participate in flight attendant training for a rare inside look at JetBlue’s unusual corporate culture.
Blue Streak is the definitive book on what makes this hot company tick and why JetBlue’s customers are so fiercely loyal. (It’s not just the leather seats and individual TV screens.) This is a fun, exciting narrative about a tight band of true believers who dared to try a new approach to a tough business. Blue Streak also offers a fascinating look at the decline of American, Delta, and the other airlines that used to be on top.
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