The Daily Briefing

MIGHT UNHAPPY JETBLUE BAIL ON LB AIRPORT?

 

During a two-part interview  on The Cranky Flier, a respected if nitpickingly named blog, JetBlue CEO Dave Barger says he’s frustrated with the treatment his airline has received by Long Beach Airport and suggests he might move operations to Los Angeles International Airport. 

“Let’s talk about Long Beach for a second,” Barger says to Cranky. ”It has been a huge frustration for us. They need to make good on their commitment to improve the airport experience. The City of Long Beach couldn’t have a more committed partner than JetBlue, but it’s been difficult.”

Cranky, who turns out to be curious—and a darn good interviewer, his high irritabilty quotient notwithstanding–asks Barger why.

Barger says “the best example is that it took us 30 months to build a brand new terminal at JFK but we’re still stuck in temporary trailers in Long Beach.”

When Cranky wonders whether JetBlue might leave Long Beach for LAX, Barger gets all passive-aggressive and kinda pouty, saying that because of “the lack of partnership with the City of Long Beach, people might have to go to LAX to use us, because we’re actually wanted there …  The message I would give is that especially in a recession, you shouldn’t take air service for granted.”

Somebody sounds cranky … and it’s not Cranky.

Meanwhile, if you can still find a copy of the March 17 issue of the Long Beach Business Journal, there is a big interview with the Long Beach Aiport’s new director, Mario Rodriguez.

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  • mike4kath
    Shame on those who caused "Construction delays", "Why do people who buy a home around an airport complain about noise", "UPS or FedEx will replace JetBlue, heck of a job HUSH2". Here is what you need to know about LGB, JetBlue and HUSH2. LGB returns no revenue for the citizens other than its concession sales tax. All revenue stays in the enterprise fund (just like our Port). The 1100+ acres that accommodate our airport is worth over One Billion Dollars! JetBlue is in Long Beach because it works for them and makes money, portable hold rooms and all! When the time comes it doesn't JetBlue will be out of here in a heart beat regardless if they have new facilities or not! Know this about HUSH2.. if HUSH2 had not stepped up the airport would now have a facility twice as big as needed and residents would be on the hook for over $200 million in bond debt. Understand, many of the residents who bought their homes close to the airport knowing there would never be more than 15 daily flights... there can now (airlines vs. city of Long Beach) lawsuit) be a minimum of 66. Our city leaders have made many broken promises to JetBlue, many other and continue to do so. I have no reason to believe this practice will not continue until the voters get engaged enough to vote for those who will protect residents and neighborhoods before giving our funds and resources to their developer friends, the unions, and others who fund their campaigns.
  • LBFamily
    Jet Blue is pulling an NFL-like stunt, "Build me new stadium or you can't have a team."

    Hey Jet Blue, the city doesn't have the 130 some-odd million bucks to start building a new terminal; get over it.

    ... and don't let the door hit you on the way out!!
  • Jet Blue is loved in Fort Lauderdale. I flew last week and I saw that line for outside check-in was 4x the length of USAirways. Good point about how long it took Broward County to deal with things though!
  • Dear people that bought property close to an airport and then decided to complain about the fact that they bought property close to an airport. Stop putting your selfish needs in front of the rest of ours. Perhaps your next investment should be buying that cute little place above the bar on the corner and then complaining about the loud noise late at night and smoke wafting up through your windows. The airport is a huge asset for us. If you want Long Beach to keep moving backward instead of forward keep complaining and being a selfish NIMBY.
  • Finally, Long Beach has a "real" airline. Our city needs to step up and do the right thing. JetBlue is NOT being unreasonable, and as a flyer who flies in and out of LB from time to time, I would enjoy an upgrade in our facilities.
  • frequent LB flyer and resident
    Anyone who flys out of LB knows how truly great it is! Security moves fast, parking is convenient and no long drives on the freeway! Jet Blue currently goes to 3 major places that I travel to at least every other month. Just build a new termianl and be done with it already!
  • FLLBJ
    Long Beach (LGB) is not the first community not to know what it will be losing until it too late through inaction, out of date zoning and thinking. It has taken more than 21 years for Fort Lauderdale (FLL) (that gold mine in the east) to extend the commuter runway on the south side of the airport and it still not completed. Broward County and the FAA are still dealing with law suits, but the project continues to inch forward. The Broward County Commission’s indecision and buckling under year after year to a couple hundred of individuals who bought their homes at a discount in the footprint of the airport and who also just want to benefit from a quieter environment (i.e. higher home values) at the expense of the millions in the rest of the community, has only made the problem worse. After nine years at FLL, JetBlue (B6) has become one of the only two growth airlines at FLL, supporting the all important Port Everglades cruise industry and the Florida tourism industry in general. With this and the loss of JetBlue University and the Live TV Hanger to Orlando (MCO) the county commission is just waking up to JetBlue’s needs. The Terminal 3, Concourse F (T3) agreement between Broward County Aviation (BCAD) will postion B6 to become an even larger, major contributor to the community’s economic health. LGB, the Long Beach commission and the Long Beach community as a whole would be wise to pay attention.
  • LBResident1
    The City is in danger of losing one of the few successful economic engines. And our City Manager is engrossed in making his bike riding hobby a major focus of his administration. Are we missing something here? How about bringing closure to the airport issues rather then spending energy on tricycle races an misguided effort to make 3rd Street into a bike path that will push traffic into our neighborhoods. Its the economy stupid……
  • Dave in Alamitos Beach
    Um, a good City Manager should be able to handle an airport upgrade and building a bike path at the same time for cripe's sake. I really don't think one has anything to do with the other.

    The bike path is for the residents, the airport expansion is for business. Both are wanted I suppose.
  • David Millhouse
    yay! now everyone can drive an hour to lax, wait in line at the counter for an hour, wait in line at security for an hour and wait on the tarmac to take off for an hour.... how about a 5 hour flight to Las Vegas? Fun!
  • John Seversen
    Great.... I can't wait to get a good nights rest.
    Then that new director can go back and super size where he came from in Louisiana.
    What does he know about our neighborhood anyway. I guess the trailers and coming from the south came in common for the man.
  • The Homeless
    Hey Now!

    Can't we all just get along?

    Ive been stuck living in a trailer before and its not fun!
  • Charlie Weiting
    Oh well, maybe we can sleep at night. They don't know what a curfew is.
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