airlines
JetBlue Launches 'Fly It Forward'
- by Tanya Gazdik , November 3, 2014
JetBlue Airways is introducing a new program called “Fly It Forward” that enables customers to spread goodness from one to
the next.
The program is inspired by the airline’s crewmembers and carried on by customers passing along one ticket on a continuous journey throughout the JetBlue network.
JetBlue and its ad agency, Mullen, developed the program with the goal of creating a tangible manifestation of the brand's mission — to inspire humanity. To celebrate the launch, JetBlue released a video featuring the first four fliers to participate in the program.
Highlighting the virtues of the program, the video also calls for the public to submit their own nominations for deserving travelers for the next fliers to choose from so they can continue to Fly It Forward.
Consumers can follow the stories as they unfold at jetblueflyitforward.com and help write the next chapter by submitting their own entry or by nominating a story through Twitter using #FlyItForward.
The Fly It Forward site will be the hub of all conversations and activity, documenting each flier's story and encouraging consumers to share their nominations. Twitter serves as the lead social platform.
New winners will be selected by the previous fliers and announced every other week as the Fly It Forward ticket travels across the JetBlue network.
It's easy to get caught up in the mechanics of travel and overlook the reasons why people travel, says Marty St. George, JetBlue's senior vice president of commercial.
“Everyone travels for their own reasons,” St. George says in a release. “It's those stories, those connections with individuals that inspire us all."
JetBlue looked to its crewmembers for stories of potential Fly It Forward nominees. They have enabled the ticket to travel between four fliers from Chicago, New York, Seattle and Haiti.
Stories span the themes of inspiration, resilience and perseverance, the pursuit of one's passion, and dedication to youth education and community relations.
One of the featured fliers includes Louis Elneus, who established the first public library in Haiti. Nominated by crewmember Jay Sequiera, Elneus returned to Haiti to deliver new books for the start of the school year as he continues to inspire youth education and literacy.
The “Fly It Forward” idea is a step up from the typical “Pay It Forward” kindness that we come across every so often. Now, this is giving people a chance of a lifetime. JetBlue has come up with a very smart idea to gain more loyal customers, now people would choose JetBlue in hopes of the “Fly It Forward” opportunities rather than another airline. New winners are selected by previous passengers every other week allowing many people to have a chance to win. This new act of kindness acknowledges why people travel, their stories and in turn having an impact on others. “Stories span the themes of inspiration, resilience and perseverance, the pursuit of one's passion, and dedication to youth education and community relations”. Anytime someone hears about a “Pay It Forward” act of kindness it gives us a little bit more hope and inspiration in humanity, which is exactly what JetBlue’s mission is. JetBlue has even created a website where the stories can be read and where you can nominate people for the chance to win the next “Fly It Forward” ticket. Hearing stories like this and big companies taking action and really standing by their mission statements proves that there is still good in corporate companies. Many times only negative news is highlighted but this story brings hope back into humanity, the more people that hear about this story, the more faith will be restored.