JetBlue Blames Airbus Jet Delays for Slowing Its Growth
Photo Credit: JetBlue is waiting for more of its Airbus A321neo jets to arrive. Pictured is one of the airline's existing A321s, with older engines. JetBlue
Skift Take
Yes, it would be great if everything worked out as planned. But that's not how business works. JetBlue is going to be short aircraft for a while, and it'll have to deal with it. At least it's not a Boeing 737 Max operator.
JetBlue Airways will curb its growth for the next 18 months and slow its interior retrofit program on existing jets because Airbus is significantly behind on delivering a new fuel efficient airplane, executives said Tuesday on their second quarter earnings call.
Airbus and the engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, have struggled with manufacturing and design problems, leading to production delays on the Airbus A320neo family of airplanes. Neo stands for "new engine option."
JetBlue is the latest airline to complain publicly. After International Airlines Group unexpectedly signed a letter of intent in June for 200 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, Willie Walsh, its CEO, told reporters it "should be an indication not just to Airbus but to everybody that we’re unhappy with their performance.”
JetBlue, which hasn't placed a non-Airbus order since 2003, didn't go so far in its criticism of the manufacturer, but Chief Financial Officer Steve Priest said the airline is not pleased. Je
