JetBlue To Keep Headquarters in New York City

JetBlue Airways today announced plans to double down on its commitment to New York by maintaining its headquarters in the city and advancing plans to expand its flagship terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

It was welcome news for those in the New York City area, as JetBlue was founded some 20 years ago in the borough of Queens.

It has since adopted hubs in Boston, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, where it will maintain a training facility.

“Some people call New York the Big Apple. Others call it the center of the universe. At JetBlue, we call it home,” Robin Hayes, chief executive officer of JetBlue, said in a statement.

“Our unique brand and culture have been embraced by millions of New Yorkers for more than two decades, and we remain committed to helping bring this iconic city back from one of the greatest crises it has ever faced. A lot of out-of-town airlines like to talk big about New York City, but as the only airline based right here, no one knows like we do why this city has always been – and still is – such a great place to live, work and visit.”

JetBlue said it will also increase its routes out of New York and bring jobs to the three major city airports – JFK, LaGuardia and Newark.

As part of this commitment to work together, JetBlue and the state are planning to extend their joint branding agreement of the world-recognized I LOVE NY logo, an unprecedented partnership with the State’s iconic brand, and collaborate on showcasing the Empire State experience at locations within the airline’s JFK terminal.

JetBlue also plans to add more than 1,800 jobs at New York City airports thanks to new flights and destinations it is adding as a result of its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines. JetBlue plans to nearly triple its flights at LaGuardia and substantially increase flying at JFK and Newark.

“I’m proud of New York’s Hometown Airline for keeping their team in the greatest city in the world,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “New York City is building a recovery for all of us, and that means keeping iconic companies like JetBlue here at home. We’re excited to keep them around and we look forward to years of collaboration to come.”