Paper Example: Overview of JetBlue Airways Corporation

JetBlue Airways Corporation is the sixth largest airline company in the United States. Simply referred to as JetBlue, the airline company is headquartered in Long Island City. Ever since its founding in 1998, the airline has maintained its air base at John F. Kennedy International Airport and majorly serves cities within the United States. Other destinations in its flight include Jamaica, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Grenada amongst many regions. The airline was established in 1998 as NewAir. The airline started as low-cost travel and followed on the model adopted by Southwest. However, it distinguished itself by additional amenities such as radio and TV entertainment.

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Despite the company's weak performance in the initial years and majorly in the early and mid-2000, the airline has continued to align its operations and management to counter the massive losses that hit it in 2005. With high fuel prices, high fleet costs, and weak operations within its management, the airline's CEO David Neeleman outlined the company's path to profitability, which laid down plans to inject an additional $50 million in its operations. In the mid-2000 and towards the end of 2010, the airline returned to realizing profits and improving on its service inefficiency (Baker 2013). Despite the occasional crisis, the company has continued to improve on its performance with management measures such as replacing its founding partner David Neeleman with Dave Barger. According to (Wynbrandt 2010), Additionally, the airline has adopted strategies aimed at improving its services on the main routes, introducing measures to suit customer needs and launch tailor-made services for its customers such as recycled pillows and extra legroom. In addition to the John F. Kennedy International Airport, the airline has other bases for its in-flight crew team and pilots. These include Orlando International Airport, Long Beach Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport.

Operation Description

Technical operations within JetBlue airlines majorly involve maintenance and upkeep of the airlines fleet, including routine, regular maintenance, and regulation compliance. Technical services vary and require creative and critical thinking in addition to open-mindedness and versatility. Tasks include aspects such as running the gamut, changing seat belts, light bulbs to more technical assignments such as working and changing the flight control structure and replacing hydraulic fluids and on-board oxygen (Wynbrandt 2010).

The flight crew comprises of the personnel operating on the plane while on air. The traditional composition of the flight crew depends on the type of flight, plane, and purpose of the flight and the duration of the flight. During a regular flight, JetBlue has on its flight deck the Captain, First Office, Second Officer, Third Officer, Navigator, Airborne Sensor Operator, and Flight Engineer. The Captain remains the highest-ranking personnel amongst the flight crew members. The First, Second, and Third rank below the Captain and perform selected tasks such as engine controls, and may act as the relief pilot. The First Officer is also referred to as the co-pilot and is always seated next to the Captain. The Flight Engineer or Second Officer is responsible for the engines, fuel management, and the aircrafts systems. In JetBlue airlines, the Radio Operator has the responsibility of handling and managing the radio and voice communications between the ground office and the plane. However, the airline pilot in command and co-pilot may take the position of the RO.

The Customer Support team helps customers with a wide range of issues, including bookings, inquiries, and connecting flights (Baker2013). Customer support within JetBlue management takes care of customer-oriented issues within the airport, phone calls, and online transactions. The airline crew members are located at the Salt Lake City Support Center. Over the years, the airline has invested much of their resources to the customer support department to improve customer relations and improve the image of the company. As natural problem solvers, the customer support strives to improve its customer's experience and needs while seeking for flight services.

According to Baker (2013), systems operations ensure that the appropriate aircraft and crew members are in place for each flight scheduled for the day. Systems operations for daily operations of the airline require agile coordination in addition to clear communication between all teams and departments. The systems operations ensure that all daily schedules and operations of the airline involving dispatch, planning, and maintenance control are in place for smooth and efficient services to the customers. The team comprising the SysOps focus on ensuring all scheduled flights and details are in agreement with the outlined plans. The Airlines SysOps is located within the Long Island City Support Center in Ney York City.

Aircraft

JetBlue has 229 fleets of aircraft. Additionally, the airline has made orders of 25 new Airbus A320neo to be delivered beginning the year 2020. Other orders include 26 Airbus A321-200 and 60 Embraer E90. The Airbus A321neo is scheduled for delivery starting 2018 with an option of substituting it with A321LR. According to (Baker 2013), all the aircraft's have the most legroom in addition to comfortable seats, and high tech design. The Airline aims to improve on its aircraft's technological design giving them a new look, great comfort, and improved entertainment both online, TV, Radio, and Movies. All the aircraft boost of 10" HD screens in every seat. Additionally, the screens are touch sensitive giving customers total control of their in-flight entertainment. The Airbus A320 offers its customers spacious seating arrangement, high overhead careers, in addition to the widest fuselage. The Airbus A321 is the newest aircraft with a carrying capacity of 159 seats. The aircraft boasts of beautiful interior designs in addition to new high-tech reclining seats (Baker 2013).

Maintenance Requirements

The technical operations department is in charge of the airline maintenance of its aircraft. The technical department administers the FAA-approved maintenance program. Maintenance of the fleet is divided into a power plant, substantial component, and airplanes line. Fleet maintenance involves daily, overnight, and weekly checks. Additionally, the technical department crew carries out routine and diagnostics maintenance. Other maintenance activities are divided to overhaul, repair, and, business partner maintenance. Fleet maintenance involving cumbersome and complicated operations is sent to El Salvador, Canada, and Rome. The checks and maintenance take between one week to four weeks. However, component repairs and maintenance such as auxiliary power, avionic computers, landing gears, and pumps are carried out by various FAA approved maintenance stations in Germany. All maintenance and repairs are overseen and performed by the companys personnel (Wynbrandt 2010).

Managers Roles and Responsibilities

The Regional Manager Crew Relations would ensure the successful delivery of human resource processes and programs within the company in addition to aligning and implementing the business's strategic policies. The manager also serves as an advisor to the top management in helping develop, change, realign, and implement the airline's decisions. On the same line, the manager helps in giving support to all the various levels of leadership within the organization while at the same time serving as the corporate public relations officer with open relationships. To help achieve success, the manager will ensure best practices are undertaken to validate and build on outlined processes. While using data from sources such as from focus groups, speak up surveys, and audit results, the manager will assist in facilitating change and in making follow-ups to ensure HR practices and processes are delivered in a consistent mode. Other essential responsibilities include liaising with the feedback crew to promote and fasten communication, support the senior management in implementing strategic plans of the airline, and assist in developing, coordinating, integrating, and implementing the airlines tailored programs by each department needs (Baker 2013). Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned to the manager as deemed fit by the director or Human resource department.

Staff Qualification, Certification, and Responsibilities

According to the Human Resource Department of JetBlue Airline, the minimum requirement of their technical staff is a degree in a given related discipline or subject. However, the management also accepts candidates who demonstrate a high level of capability through and by experience in the previous job occupation. Although they focus on academic qualification, they are given room to vast practical experience in the same capacity in a related discipline. Other minimum qualification in technical or related subjects includes the ability to prioritize assignment, tasks, above average decision-making ability, and flexible schedules for travels. This category primarily includes pilots, co-pilots, technical crew team, engineers, and customer support team (Wynbrandt 2010).

However, technical departments such as flight crew, engineers, and technicians, the company prefers candidates with a masters degree or an equivalent. Other certification may be provided by the Airline's training school that focuses on empowering its employees with additional abilities such as customer relations, technical skills, and management in different fields of interest. For example, JetBlue University offers training opportunities for its pilots, crew team, and technology staff. Additionally, the airline has also partnered with institutions of higher learning to enable members of its team and all crew members without a college degree to acquire the necessary accreditation. The airline offers certification in career options such as customer support, in flight, systems operations, pilot, technical operations, and airport operations.

According to (Wynbrandt 2010), general duties and responsibilities of JetBlue airline employees include a high level of productivity, leadership skills, ability to achieve the maximum organizational routine and efficiency. Above all else, the air emphasis on teamwork, dedication, and effectiveness in all work responsibilities. The airline's management recognizes accreditations and qualifications from some of the world renown institution of higher learning in addition to its training center (Wynbrandt 2010). The company occasionally employees, individuals without any valid qualification and takes them through a series of technical training by a person's interest. Courses and training under such arrangements include professional courses, customer support, and crew training.

Human Factors

Human factors entail issues that affect personnel performance at work. They refer to the technical skills, personal skills, communication, social, and decision-making skills that are critical while undertaking tasks within the workplace. Studying human factors entails the application of scientific expertise to understand how the human mind and body help in capabilities and precincts (Baker 2013). Within the aviation industry, human factors entail the understanding of how to improve and integrate safety, efficiency, performance, and skills with technology. At JetBllue airlines, the management strives to make an intensive investment in training its personnel and improve on its systems to achieve the highest level of efficiency and safety possible. As the airline aims to improve on its staff's capability, it has embarked on acquiring fleets equipped with the latest technology th...