JetBlue Responds to my complaint about Airbus purchase

JetBlue Customer Commitment Crew ^ | 04/26/03 | JetBlue Customer Commitment Crew

[W04Man]

Re: e-mail received Thursday, 04/24/03 5:00 AM, Speak Up 377444

Hello Oliver,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding our choice of the Airbus A320 aircraft.

Airbus is, in fact, not a French company. It is a European organization owned by British, Spanish, French and German concerns. While the A320 is assembled in France, Airbus also operates numerous manufacturing and assembly plants throughout Europe and spends more money with suppliers in the U.S. than in any other country. In 2002 alone, Airbus spent $5.5 billion in the U.S., supporting 120,000 American jobs at hundreds of companies located across some 40 U.S. states.

As an airline that calls New York City home, we are very sensitive to the patriotic measures and sacrifices of Americans in these difficult times. We, like you, look forward to a time in the not too distant future when the international cooperation that goes into building our aircraft finds its way into world affairs.

Sincerely,

Tiffany JetBlue Customer Commitment Crew

Original Message Follows: ------------------------ Customer name: Oliver xxxxxx Message: We were becoming a regular customer. Now with your French purchase, that might change.

[dennisw]

It's bllsht buy Boing 100% made in the USA. Jet Blue is just another French butt licker. Make that Euro butt licker if ya want.

All (as in 98%) profits go to European shareholders. Same for executive salaries.

[savedbygrace]

That's one of the main reasons I shop as little as I possibly can at WalMart. I can never know whose grimy hands have been all over that widget, and how broken it is inside the box.

[Yaron]

Do you?

[Yaron]

So you are a socialist are you? Essentially what you are saying is because the socialist EU invest money in its manufacturer that gives it a competitive edge? Me thinks this is merely an excuse by which an inefficient Boeing perpetuates it's poor business practice.

Either Boeing make a better product or they do not. To suggest Jet Blue should be obliged to make a comercial decision on some nebulous concept of nationalism is ridiculous. So youd prefer them go bust with whatever job losses that entails than buy European. I might also add that the UK makes much of the components for the Airbus, is that how you care to treat the loyalty of our comrades in arms is it? Is it? Youd rather see English people on the welfare line than compromise.

[KneelBeforeZod]

my buddy works for jet blue as a mechanic...used to work for United but he got laid off with a bunch of others.

one of the reasons for going with airbus is that arent going to wait for beoing to have planes for them to buy...

also some of the planes listed as being purchased are just OPTIONS to buy.

[texas_fool]

So you are a socialist are you?

So you work for Airbus?

This has nothing to do with socialism. Airbus does not build a better aircraft than Boeing. The last crash of an airliner was the Airbus which crashed in New York. The FAA's advisory was to not use the rudder to get youself out of trouble! This saved Airbus from going out and replacing all the tails of all the aircraft they have built to date.

Airbus gets ALL of their R&D budget paid for by government. They are getting loan subsidies as well. Yes the issue needs to be addresed but in what way I didn't say. Either we pay for commercial R&D or we slap tarrifs against them. The alternative is to watch Beoing lay off another 30,000 Engineers. Some industries are getting help in the US and are being nurtured if not protected.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

they have a fleet that consists of airbus 320's nothing else why should they not stick with them. they are making money why dump money into retraining pilots and mechanics. sure I would like them to buy american but I understand their logic.

[CathyRyan]

Fly in a plane built in France?....Nah, I don't think so.

[SamAdams76]

Remember that free trade works both ways. If Boeing sold jets only to Americans, because foreigners would refuse to buy from it, it would be a much smaller company and perhaps, jet technology would not have progressed as far as it has.

I think Airbus provides some needed competition to Boeing. It will keep them sharp and competitive. I believe it will help Boeing in the long run. Just as the Japanese auto-making industry in the 1970s and 1980s forced American auto-makers to become more competitive by making better cars. Even the most strident buy-American types have to concede that during the 1970s, U.S. auto-makers were putting out some lousy cars. Having such a monopoly encourages mediocrity and is never a good thing.

If Airbus was a purely French company, that would be a another thing. But as this article points out, it clearly is not.

[rocky88]

I was just reading your response out loud to my husband and he had an excellent response that I need to share:

We SHOULD support JetBlue because they are one of the only airlines not looking to the government for a handout. It is our responsibility to support their business model (non-unionized) rather than punish them.

Ask yourself which point matters more to you and decide based on that - flying one of the needy welfare "gimme a handout because we won't stand up to our unions" airlines, or a company that bought planes assembled in France that also supported Americans by using our materials?

I'm so glad I married a smart man :-)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Why yes, I do... criticizing other FReepers (or, as in your case, refer to them as 'pathetic') because they take a stand on principle is what I would call pathetic...

[ez]

Isn't the A320 the aircraft whose tail falls off if it gets too much turbulence? (ala AA Flight 587?)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Not sure, but they have these wonderful 'Fly-By-Wire' systems that allow you to fly into the ground... cutting-edge stuff...

[Yaron]

Really?

[Jorge]

"Wal-Mart's bottom line is making money."

It seems to me that they've discovered that the best way to do that is by bringing goods to consumers at the lowest possible price, thus making happy, satisfied consumers.

Exactly. I get the same namebrand products carried by other stores...only at a much lower prices at Wal-mart.

I easily save $40-$60 a month shopping at Wal-mart.

[blanknoone]

My reply to Jean, same message:
Hello Jean,
Thank you for your canned response. While true that Airbus is not a French company, it is an artificial consortium originally created and funded by European governments with the express purpose of getting high end aircraft manufacturing jobs from the US to Europe. And the French and Germans were the primary drivers behind the effort, which is why they have the lion's share of the manufacturing. It is also true that they get 40% of their components from American firms, and that number has steadily dropped as they procure more and more of their components from Europe. Keep in mind that when Airbus started there was no European civilian aircraft manufacturing at all, and there for few suppliers at all. Now most of their procurement is done in Europe, and given their job creation mandate, the European portion of their procurement will only go up.
I would question your math that the 40% of procurement from the US equates to 120,000 American jobs, but for the sake of argument I will assume you are right. That would mean that buying American would bring another 40% (at least) to America with another 120,000 high end manufacturing jobs. Your choice is helping ship those jobs overseas to countries that are deliberately subverting our (I'm assuming you are an American) national interests and trying to build a "counterweight" in Europe to limit our future influence.
I have enjoyed flying on your airline. Please do the right thing. Those 120,000 additional jobs in America would be a powerful spur to the US economy, and would help your passengers by helping the economy, and there for help air travel in general and your comapny in particular.
Regards,
John

[mabelkitty]

It's not a French issue.

It's a EU vs. U.S.A issue. We need to start thinking in those terms.

Germany and France are going to develop and fund a military for EU. I'm not supporting an airliner that contributes money to countries that are using the money to fund military opposition to my country. One more reason we are moving our bases out of Germany.

I hope you can see if from my point of view.

[mabelkitty]

I want every American airline to buy Boeing and support the Americans who want to travel.

Afterall, (with exception to JetBlue and Southwest) it's their tax dollars that are going for the huge bailouts.

[luckodeirish]

This is why I will continue to fly Jet Blue: The owner/founder was on one of those "news" shows about 6 months ago (20/20 or something), and was asked by the host about security and passenger profiling. He responded "we don't search old white women, we don't search kids, we profile and if anyone does not like it they can fly another airline"

[AFreeBird]

If the Airbus is the best choice for them, they should proceed in that direction. Simple.

I've flown on a few Airbus jets. After which I've come to the conclusion that I've sat on far more comfortable rocks than on Airbus seats.

I'll stick with homegrown Boeing.