Flying High

Flying High traces the incredible career of the founder and chairman of JetBlue, David Neeleman, from his teenage ventures and beginnings in the travel industry., to his short stint at Southwest Airlines and the ultimate launch of JetBlue. In a series of interviews with Neeleman's friends, associates, and high-ranking officials in both business and aviation, this books tells the store of Neeleman and explores the rules of success he both lives and builds his companies by.

Introduction 1

CHAPTER 1 The Journey Begins 7

CHAPTER 2 Have I Got a Deal for You 23

CHAPTER 3 Morris Air Spreads Its Wings 39

CHAPTER 4 Off to Southwest 55

CHAPTER 5 Opening Up New Skies 73

CHAPTER 6 A Different Kind of Airline 85

CHAPTER 7 Preparing for Departure 103

CHAPTER 8 JetBlue Takes Flight 121

CHAPTER 9 Making Air Travel Entertaining 139

CHAPTER 10 Keeping Customers Happy 151

CHAPTER 11 The Technology Advantage 163

CHAPTER 12 Getting the Word Out in Style 177

CHAPTER 13 Dealing with Disaster 193

CHAPTER 14 Preserving the Culture 213

CHAPTER 15 Looking to the Future 225

CHAPTER 16 David Neeleman’s Rules for Succeeding in Any Business 243

JetBlue Timeline 255

Acknowledgments 263

Notes 265

Index 289

James Wynbrandt is a New York–based author and award-winning aviation and business reporter. He is a regular contributor to numerous high-profile aviation publications, including Smithsonian Air and Space, Plane & Pilot, General Aviation News, Southern Aviator, and Pilot Journal. A licensed pilot, Wynbrandt has been following JetBlue since the company's founding. His articles on business and aviation have also appeared in the New York Times, Management Review, Computer and Electronics Marketing, Flying, and Aspen Magazine, among others. Praise for Flying High

"If you want to know what it takes to develop a great business—not just an airline—Flying High is a must-read. James Wynbrandt does an excellent job of bringing JetBlue founder David Neeleman's amazing personal journey and business innovativeness to life in an interesting and exciting manner."
—Dave Sclair, Publisher Emeritus, General Aviation News

"James Wynbrandt adeptly captures the elements that have made David Neeleman and his remarkable airline, JetBlue, a huge success. Flying High is a tribute to Neeleman's true depth. By developing a visionary business model and the right communications strategy, he was able to pilot JetBlue to profitability with finesse. It's a must-read for people in any business seeking success."
—Howard J. Rubenstein, President, Rubenstein Associates, Inc.

"In Flying High, James Wynbrandt tells the completely beguiling story of how a former Mormon missionary with attention deficit disorder and a history of both bankruptcy and getting fired from a high-profile job created one of the great airline successes of our time. What is David Neeleman's secret at JetBlue? It's a new concept called understanding what your customers really need. Neeleman's fanatical attention to customer satisfaction, employee relations, and technology make for such a fascinating read. I raced through the book in one sitting."
—Rinker Buck, Aviation journalist and author, Flight of Passage: A Memoir