How did Tallahassee International Airport lose JetBlue Airways when so much was riding on its success?
The January debut of JetBlue’s non-stop flight to Fort Lauderdale was well received and the airline’s way of dipping its toe in the capital city market waters to gauge demand. By this point, more than a decade of persistence to land the airline fueled the moment. For many, it was a crowning achievement.
Early on, mutual optimism was evident in emails between Tallahassee airport’s leadership and the airline, records obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat show.
On Jan. 4, JetBlue officials thanked Tallahassee for rolling out the “blue carpet” when the inaugural flight touched down on the tarmac from Fort Lauderdale to Tallahassee. Arriving passengers — some knowing it was history in the making while others were oblivious — were greeted by the sounds of steel drums and cheers. Celebratory remarks followed in a formal ceremony.
“Wanted to thank each and every one of you for the role you played in today’s festivities for the TLH launch,” wrote Selma Garcia, a spokesperson for JetBlue, to Tallahassee airport officials. “On behalf of JetBlue, we couldn’t be happier with the festivities, both at FLL and TLH, and how everything came together; it was truly team work and was so happy to see everything come to fruition. The excitement for this new launch was very clear and loud.”