Airplane Shown At JFK Airport At Crewmenber Event

At a crewmember event Thursday at its base at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), JetBlue Airways unveiled the first of its Airbus A320 aircraft to be outfitted with "Sharklets". The aircraft – registration number N821JB – is also the first of any North American airline to feature the fuel-saving structures. "Sharklets" are wing tip devices that the planemaker says improve the aerodynamics of Airbus aircraft and significantly cut fuel burn and emissions by up to four percent.

“The addition of "Sharklets" to our A320 fleet creates more fuel efficiency and allows us to be a greener airline,” said Rob Maruster, JetBlue’s Chief Operations Officer. “As the world’s first carrier to perform a production retrofit to an A320 aircraft, the project also speaks to JetBlue’s history of innovation and being on the leading edge of the industry.”
 
“When JetBlue was born, it entered service with an ... all-Airbus fleet and – since day one – has been an industry leader,” said Barry Eccleston, Airbus Americas President and Chief Executive Officer, who spoke at today’s event. “The fact that they are the first North American airline to fly with "Sharklets" demonstrates again their focus on the efficiency of the fleet benefiting their customers, the environment, and the airline’s own bottom line.  Plus, the "Sharklets" look really sharp!”
 
"Sharklets" are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and offer operators the option of an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 1,000 pounds. "Sharklets" are standard on all members of the A320neo Family. In the case with the JetBlue aircraft unveiled Thursday, the aircraft was produced with a wing structurally ready to accept the "Sharklets" that were retrofitted with support from Airbus at JetBlue’s JFK facility.

(Artist's rendering provided by Airbus)

FMI: www.airbus.com, www.jetblue.com