A jetBlue Airways airplane takes off from Newark Liberty Airport on September 30, 2018 as seen from Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Gary Hershorn | Corbis Information | Getty Pictures
JetBlue Airways is providing flight attendants $1,000 bonuses if they do not name out from work beginning Friday by the top of Might because the provider tries to make sure sufficient staffing throughout a surge in journey demand, based on an organization message.
Flight attendants may even obtain $100 bonuses for selecting up open journeys, mentioned the message, which was shared with employees Friday and seen by CNBC. Half-time flight attendants would obtain $500 for assembly attendance objectives.
JetBlue’s newest incentive reveals it’s prepared to pay crews further to keep away from doubtlessly costlier flight disruptions as vacationers return in droves after two years of the Covid pandemic.
Staffing shortages have hamstrung airways over the previous 12 months, notably throughout Covid peaks, corresponding to widespread omicron instances that sidelined crews through the year-end holidays. JetBlue, United, American and others turned to bonuses and even triple pay to ease staffin shortages.
“The spring rewards packages comes at a time the place each flight makes a distinction as hours are tight and staffing ranges are usually not the place they have to be,” Ed Baklor, JetBlue’s head of buyer care and packages, mentioned within the memo.
Baklor final month urged flight attendants not to turn down assignments.
JetBlue did not instantly remark however COO Joanna Geraghty on Wednesday advised CNBC that JetBlue will “proceed to reasonable capability as wanted” because the airline business grapples with staffing shortages and excessive gas costs.
The motivation program begins days after JetBlue made a shock, $3.6 billion, all-cash offer to purchase low cost provider Spirit Airlines, throwing Spirit’s $2.9 billion deal to mix with fellow ultralow-cost airline Frontier Airlines into query.
Spirit late Thursday mentioned it will entertain JetBlue’s provide however mentioned its merger settlement remains to be in place with Frontier.
JetBlue executives advised buyers this week that the deal would enable it to develop rapidly and higher compete towards the 4 largest U.S. carriers: Delta, United, Southwest and American. Frontier mentioned a JetBlue-Spirit tie-up would result in increased fares for shoppers.
