Pandemic and Competitors' Struggles Put JetBlue on Offense During Crisis

JetBlue Airways' strategy of launching new routes may have bucked conventional wisdom on how airlines should operate when demand collapses but is one that has paid off for the New York-based carrier, President Joanna Geraghty said at the Skift Global Forum on Tuesday.

"Crisis brings opportunities," she said, adding, "Leisure [travel] is what JetBlue does best." About 80 percent of JetBlue's passengers are leisure travelers, a ratio that has stood it in good stead during the pandemic, as business travel has all but collapsed. Leisure and friend- and family-visit travel have fueled the U.S. airline industry's nascent recovery. Airlines, such as American, United, and Delta, which staked much of their revenue on high-dollar business travelers, have begun to pivot to capture more leisure traffic. JetBlue has added more than 30 routes in recent weeks.

Among JetBlue's plays in recent weeks has been growing at places, like Newark