JetBlue to stay at corporate HQ in Long Island City
BY BILL PARRY
New York’s hometown airline
is staying grounded in
Long Island City.
JetBlue has decided to
keep its corporate headquarters
in Queensboro Plaza and
it will add jobs as its footprint
grows at JFK International
Airport.
“Some people call New
York the Big Apple. Others
call it the center of the universe.
At JetBlue, we call it
home,” said Robin Hayes,
chief executive officer at Jet-
Blue. “Our unique brand and
culture have been embraced
by millions of New Yorkers
for more than two decades,
and we remain committed to
helping bring this iconic city
back from one of the greatest
crises it has ever faced. A lot
of out-of-town airlines like to
talk big about New York City,
but as the only airline based
right here, no one knows like
we do why this city has always
been – and still is – such
a great place to live, work and
visit.”
JetBlue had been contemplating
a move to Florida
when its current lease expires
in 2023, but a full-court
press from elected officials
and business leaders in
Queens beginning in March
may have helped keep the airline
— and its 1,300 corporate
workers and another 7,000
JetBlue employees who work
at various locations including
LaGuardia and JFK airports
— in western Queens.
“I would like to thank all of
our partners and supporters
for their collaboration. I’d especially
like to thank Majority
Leader Chuck Schumer, who
has been our steadfast friend
and strong supporter since our
founding 21 years ago, always
realizing the importance of
JetBlue’s low fares in our eight
Empire State airports, the jobs
they add to the economy and
the importance of having our
head office based right here
in New York City,” Hayes said.
“No one has been there more
in the most pivotal moments
of our history, leading the way
for crucial payroll support
during this pandemic through
the CARES Act, allowing us to
continue our record of never
furloughing a single crew
member.”
Schumer, who also implored
the airline to stay in
Queens, said JetBlue’s announcement
will help the city
recover from the darkest days
of the COVID-19 pandemic
and the economic turmoil
that came with the shutdown.
“Thousands of new jobs
connected to JetBlue’s growing
presence at JFK, paired
with the company re-affirming
its commitment to being
NYC’s hometown airline are
great news,” Schumer said.
“During the pandemic, I
shepherded unprecedented
relief to the aviation sector
that saved hundreds of thousands
of jobs and the entire
airline industry. I am encouraged
that having survived the
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worst of it, JetBlue is adding
jobs, reinvesting and recommitting
to New York.”
The budget air carrier was
created in Forest Hills in 1998
and has been headquartered
in Long Island City since 2012.
JetBlue plans to stay at its
current home in the Brewster
Building at 27-01 Queens
Plaza North in Long Island
City, where the company has
been based since 2012 and
is home to its iconic rooftop
sign. JetBlue intends to negotiate
and execute a lease over
the next few months and then
re-design its office space to be
responsive to rapidly evolving
workplace trends that have
accelerated during the pandemic.
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards, who previously
called on the Port Authority
to work with JetBlue
so the company could remain
at their location, said it was a
“privilege to work” with them
in the monthslong campaign
to keep them in the borough.
“JetBlue is a valuable
corporate partner here in
Queens, and I am overjoyed
they will keep their headquarters
in Long Island City,”
Richards said. “By remaining
here in Queens, our borough
is connected to one of the
world’s largest airlines and
entrusted with thousands of
jobs that will surely revitalize
our economy. Queens is flying
high today and open for business.”
JetBlue will also expand
its footprint at LaGuardia
Airport beyond its current
space at the historic Marine
Air Terminal and partially
move into the airport’s recently
opened and state-of-the-art
Terminal B later this year
with plans to move completely
in 2022.
“I’m proud of New York’s
hometown airline for keeping
their team in the greatest city
in the world,” Mayor Bill de
Blasio said. “New York City
is building a recovery for all
of us, and that means keeping
iconic companies like JetBlue
here at home. We’re excited to
keep them around and we look
forward to years of collaboration
to come.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
JetBlue has decided to keep its
corporate headquarters in Long
Island City and create more jobs.
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