NEW YORK, March 6, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- JetBlue Airways Corporation (Nasdaq:JBLU) reported today that its traffic in February increased 16.7 percent from February 2007, on a capacity increase of 21.5 percent.
Load factor for February 2008 was 76.8 percent, a decrease of 3.2 points from February 2007. JetBlue's preliminary completion factor was 97.7 percent and its on-time (1) performance was 67.8 percent. JetBlue's preliminary passenger revenue per available seat mile for the month of February increased 27 percent year over year. Approximately two-thirds of this increase was attributable to the impact of last year's ice storm when JetBlue cancelled approximately 1,200 flights, which resulted in a February 2007 completion factor of 90.9%
JETBLUE AIRWAYS TRAFFIC RESULTS
February February % Change
2008 2007
Revenue passenger miles (000) 2,030,142 1,739,500 16.7
Available seat miles (000) 2,642,877 2,175,609 21.5
Load factor 76.8% 80.0% (3.2) pts.
Revenue passengers 1,714,056 1,483,516 15.5
Departures 16,438 13,617 20.7
Average stage length 1,132 1,102 2.7
Y-T-D Y-T-D % Change
2008 2007
Revenue passenger miles (000) 4,107,962 3,678,419 11.7
Available seat miles (000) 5,393,217 4,722,378 14.2
Load factor 76.2% 77.9% (1.7) pts.
Revenue passengers 3,447,042 3,135,480 9.9
Departures 33,531 29,394 14.1
Average stage length 1,132 1,091 3.8
(1) The U.S. Department of Transportation considers on-time arrivals to be those domestic flights arriving within 14 minutes of schedule.
New York-based JetBlue Airways has created a new airline category based on value, service and style. Known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue is now pleased to offer customers the most legroom throughout coach (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch for U.S. airlines). JetBlue introduced complimentary in-flight e-mail and instant messaging services on aircraft "BetaBlue," a first among U.S. domestic airlines. JetBlue is also America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue's control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 53 cities with up to 600 daily flights. New service to Los Angeles International Airport begins in May. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all travel is ticketless, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information or reservations call 1-800-JETBLUE (1-800-538-2583) or visit www.jetblue.com.
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This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature which represent our management's beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, including, without limitation, our extremely competitive industry; increases in fuel prices, maintenance costs and interest rates; our ability to implement our growth strategy, including the ability to operate reliably the EMBRAER 190 aircraft; our significant fixed obligations; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and maintain our culture as we grow; our reliance on high daily aircraft utilization; our dependence on the New York metropolitan market and the effect of increased congestion in this market; our reliance on automated systems and technology; our being subject to potential unionization; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers; changes in or additional government regulation; changes in our industry due to other airlines' financial condition; and external geopolitical events and conditions. Further information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to, the Company's 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.