Blue Streak: Inside Jetblue, the Upstart That Rocked an Industry

A Review of Blue Streak - Inside JetBlue, the Upstart That Rocked an Industry by Barbara S. Peterson I knew that JetBlue was something special from the feedback I was hearing from friends and family members who had flown them. I began to understand how the upstart airline had achieved that success when I had a chance to meet the Founder, David Neeleman last year when he spoke at Harvard Business School. As I heard him speak, and then later when I had a chance to engage with him one-on-one, I sensed beneath the smooth and polished executive exterior a personal warmth and passion that embodies the vision of JetBlue - to build a low cost airline that delivers superior service and treats its customers and employees alike as persons of worth. Neeleman loves to tell the story of an encounter with a Delta flight attendant who accosted him and accused him of: "stealing all the nice passengers." His retort: "No, they are the smart passenger; they know we'll treat them fair and give them a fair deal." Barbara Peterson tells the story of the gestation and birth of JetBlue from the inside out. An experienced travel writer, she involved herself in the lives of the JetBlue leaders and immersed herself in the JetBlue experience to try to explain to herself and her readers why so many individuals have "drunk the blue Kool-aid"! One of the most gripping stories that encapsulates much of what makes JetBlue unique in the airline industry is the story of how JetBlue employees at New York's Kennedy Airport responded to the unfolding events on 9/11/2001. "Doreen Lawrence, head of in-flight, was driving west on the Grand Central Parkway when the news came over the radio. She was heading toward Connecticut with Brian Manubay, an in-flight manager. . . They were halfway across the Whitestone Bridge to the Bronx when they realized they had to get to JFK fast. . . They got to the airport ten minutes later, just before all access to the airfield was closed off. The found Terminal Six packed with passengers, many of whom were not holding tickets on JetBlue flights but, rather, had been expelled from other terminals. Most airlines had shut the doors to their terminals so after the attacks on the advice of the Prot authority, which was acting prudently - who knew if other attackers were still at large? Several strandees told Manubay that a rumor had circulated at the airport that "if you go to JetBlue, they'll help you." . . . An hour later, the Port Authority told JetBlue it, too, had to evacuate its terminal. Lawrence and Manubay made an announcement: All present, no matter whose customer they were, could go with them to a nearby airport motel, where they could stay until they had someplace else to go. For the next three days, the JetBlue pair slept on cots in the ballroom of a nearby Best Western, with hundreds of displaced fliers; no one, it seemed, could get out. Lawrence had not needed to check with her superiors to approve this act of charity; early

Books and articles about the demise or bankruptcy of yet another airline are not uncommon, but how often do you find a good read about a thriving airline? JetBlue, the brainchild of David Neeleman, has beaten the odds by surviving, thriving and becoming successful beyond anyone's imagination, except maybe Neeleman's. JetBlue reached $1 billion a year in sales in 2004, is consistently profitable while the major airlines are losing billions and has developed a devout following. Author Barbara S. Peterson began reporting on JetBlue before it launched its first plane. She documents its progress from conception and birth to early development. She obviously "drank the blue Kool-Aid," an insider's allusion to JetBlue loyalty, and couches even the negative in soft terms. However, we welcome the fascinating story she tells. Curious readers will be intrigued to find out how JetBlue elevated customer service to an art form while keeping its planes running on time.

Blue Streak: Inside jetBlue, the Upstart That Rocked an Industry, $24.95 US, written by Barbara S. Peterson, is about the history of United States airliners, but more specifically a single company - jetBlue - the most successful discount airline in history. Barbara C. Peterson does an admirable job of profiling David Neeleman, the somewhat unconventional CEO of jetBlue. We get his family history, tidbits about his upbringing in Brazil and Utah, and some personal anecdotes about both his early attention deficit disorder and his unabashed missionary work. Peterson then drags out the fact that Neeleman was a third year dropout from the University of Utah and had two children before he ever tasted one iota of financial success. But being a college drop-out hasn't hampered Neeleman, who simply followed his hearts desire and found a way to soar. Neeleman had a natural gift for numbers, and proved to be excellent at sales. In 1982, he started tracking the potential of the airline industry after delving into a long article that he found in the Wall Street Journal. Eventually Neeleman would back into his opportunity, but only after operating a successful packaged tour business that suddenly imploded in late 1983 when Hawaii Express declared bankruptcy, and took his growing agency down in the process. Unable to refund a substantial number of deposits, Neeleman's first startup was forced into bankruptcy. From the ashes of that debacle, he formed Morris Air after working under travel agency CEO June Morris. By the late 80's, June was the first female CEO in aviation history, and Morris Air - under Neeleman's watch - was a successful airline. At least on paper. The fledgling enterprise existed as a public charter out of Salt Lake, where Morris leased all planes and crews, but they faced competitive disadvantages. Money handling rules were strict, they couldn't accept credit card payments, and they had to keep all funds in segregated escrow accounts. Their advertising also failed to mention their charter status. This drew the ire of both regulators in Washington D.C. and Alaska Airlines, whose home turf Morris was squeezing. Needleman dodged controversy, and with the aid of Tom Kelly, the hamstrung charter received certification to fly as a fully scheduled airline anywhere in the USA. However, less than a year later, Neeleman was stunned when the airline he built from scratch was sold out from under him - to Herb Kelleher's Southwest. What Neeleman thought of as an opportunity to join forces with Southwest, devolved into a disaster as the two boardroom tribes clashed and were at each others throats. Kelleher fired David and Neeleman retreated to Salt Lake with his growing family (and $25M) during the Summer of 1994. Neeleman faced a quandary at this point, for Kelleher had tricked David into signing a five year No Compete when Southwest absorbed Morris. To get around this legal straightjacket, he incorporated a small company named Open Skies, which

When I bought this book, I was skeptical at first on how much I would like it. Well, it turns out I absolutely loved it. I picked this up because I have an interest in aviation, and had a desire to learn about jetBlue. This book looks at David Neeleman, the CEO of jetBlue, and how he came to make a successful upstart airline, that as the title states, "Rocked an Industry." From his past experience in the aviation field, to every little nook & cranny of detail on how he founded jetBlue, this book has it all. This is a very interesting read as jetBlue isn't the average airline, it's an airline designed to be customer friendly. If you have ever wondered how jetBlue became a success, or how the airline came to be, this is the right book to pick up.

I must agree with the other reviews of this book -- it is a captivating read. The only reason it took me two days to finish this book is that I do have a job and family that need a good portion of my time. This book was very well written and provides an inside look at the founding of a business where the needs of the customer truly is what it values the most. In fact, this book should be a must read for anyone thinking of starting their own business regardless of the industry.