JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP

We could be adversely affected by an outbreak or resurgence of a disease or an environmental disaster that significantly affects travel behavior.

Any outbreak or resurgence of a disease, including variants of COVID-19, which affect travel behavior, travel demand, or travel restrictions, or a similar public health threat, or fear of such an event could have a material adverse impact on airlines. In addition, outbreaks of disease could result in quarantines of our personnel, business partners and their suppliers, or an inability to access facilities or our aircraft, which could adversely affect our operations. Certain environmental disasters may be caused or adversely exacerbated by the physical impacts of climate change. For more information, please see our risk factor titled “We may be affected by global climate change or by legal, regulatory or market responses to such change.”

The extent, duration, and magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic’s possible resurgent effects will depend on various factors, all of which are highly uncertain, difficult to predict and not controlled by us. In addition, we cannot predict whether business travel for in-person meetings will return to pre-COVID-19 levels over the long-term due to technological advancements in, and consumer acceptance and adaptation to, virtual meetings and/or changes in customer preferences.

Similarly, if an environmental disaster were to occur and adversely impact any of our destination cities, travel behavior could be affected and in turn, could materially adversely impact our business, operating results, liquidity and financial condition.

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations may cause us to incur substantial costs.

Many aspects of airlines’ operations are subject to increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and growing concerns about climate change and other matters, including an evolving set of previously unregulated substances, may result in the imposition of additional regulation. Compliance with environmental laws and regulations can require significant expenditures, and violations can lead to significant fines and penalties, as well as civil liability.

Environmental laws and regulations may require us to investigate and remediate soil or groundwater. Under many environmental laws, generators of waste materials, and current and former owners or operators of facilities, can be subject to liability for investigation and remediation costs at locations that have been identified as contaminated. Liability under these laws may be retroactive, strict, joint and several, meaning that we could be liable for the costs of cleaning up environmental contamination regardless of when it occurred, fault or the amount of waste directly attributable to us.

Under our leases and related contracts for our airport facilities, we may be responsible for a share of the airport’s or other operators costs in meeting new or upgraded regulatory requirements including, for example, implementation of US Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) and state stormwater regulations that require building or reconfiguring airport de-icing facilities to limit discharges of ethylene glycol.

Since the domestic airline industry is increasingly price sensitive, we may not be able to recover the cost of compliance with new or more stringent environmental laws and regulations from our customers, which could adversely affect our business and financial results. Although we don't expect the costs of complying with current environmental regulations will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, no assurance can be made that the costs of complying with environmental regulations in the future will not have such an effect.

We may be affected by global climate change or by legal, regulatory or market responses to such change.

There are inherent climate-related risks wherever business is conducted. Various meteorological phenomena and extreme weather events (including, but not limited to, storms, flooding, drought, wildfire, and extreme temperatures) may disrupt our operations or those of our suppliers and business partners, cause inflight cancellations, delays, and diversions, require us to incur additional operating or capital expenditures, reduce the demand for certain of our flight offerings, or otherwise adversely impact our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Climate change may impact the frequency and/or intensity of such events. While we may take various actions to mitigate our business risks associated with climate change, this may require us to incur substantial costs and may not be successful, due to, among other things, the uncertainty associated with the longer-term projections associated with managing climate risks.

Additionally, regulatory, market, and other changes to respond to climate change may adversely impact our business, financial condition, or results of operations. For example, there have been significant U.S. and international legislative and regulatory efforts to limit GHG emissions, including our aircraft and ground operations emissions. In October 2016, the ICAO passed a resolution adopting CORSIA, which is a global, market-based emissions offset program to encourage carbon-neutral growth in international aviation. Annual international emissions reporting is required via CORSIA as of the 2019 reporting year, and offsetting compliance is scheduled to be implemented through multiple phases that began in 2021. ICAO continues to develop details regarding implementation and, while we expect compliance with CORSIA will increase our operating costs, the anticipated cost of compliance with CORSIA is uncertain due to a number of factors, including the volatility in demand for international air travel and the uncertainty in the supply and price of eligible carbon offsets or low-carbon aircraft fuels. In January 2021, the USEPA promulgated a final rule implementing the ICAO aircraft engine GHG emission standards, which will apply to larger business and commercial jet aircraft with either new design types (not previously certified by the FAA) or existing design types that are in production as of January 1, 2028. On November 15, 2021 the USEPA announced its intention to seek even more ambitious GHG emission standards within the ICAO process. Since then, the USEPA and ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection have had several meetings on this issue, but no further progress has been made. In addition, several states and environmental groups have challenged USEPA's standards and on June 30, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied such petitions and ruled that the USEPA acted within its authority in establishing the aircraft engine GHG emission standards.

The potential impacts to our business are not known at this time, but additional costs can be expected. In addition, climate change-related litigation and investigations have increased in recent years and any claims or investigations against us could be costly to defend and our business could be adversely affected by the outcome.

These climate change-related regulatory actions and related pressures to reduce our GHG emissions may adversely affect our business and financial results by requiring us, for example, to make capital investments in new equipment or technologies, purchase carbon offset credits, or incur higher fuel or other operating costs. Due to the competitive nature of the airline industry and unpredictability of the market for air travel, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to increase our fares, impose surcharges or otherwise increase revenues or decrease other operating costs sufficiently to offset our costs of meeting these obligations.

For example, there are growing initiatives to mandate use of SAF, a term which includes a variety of fuels that are believed to have lower environmental impact than conventional aviation fuels. The latest proposal in the EU, which was approved by the European Parliament in September 2023 and the European Council in October 2023 would impose a SAF blending standard starting at 2% in 2025 and rising to 70% in 2050. Other countries, including the UK, have adopted or are considering adopting similar SAF requirements. In the US, the FAA’s Aviation Climate Action Plan (published in November 2021) includes a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge, calling for a replacement of all traditional aviation fuel by 2050. These programs, in addition to our own and other airline’s commitments to increase use of SAF, are likely to result in a competitive market for available SAF inventories. Until SAF production increases, we may need to pay a significant premium for SAF above the cost of traditional fuel.

Reporting expectations are also increasing, with a variety of customers, capital providers, and regulators seeking increased information on climate-related risks and impacts. Various policymakers, such as the SEC, the European Union, and the State of California, have adopted or are considering adopting, requirements for companies to provide significantly expanded climate-related disclosures in their periodic reporting, which may require us to incur significant additional costs to comply, including the implementation of significant additional internal controls processes and procedures regarding matters that have not been subject to such controls in the past, and impose increased oversight obligations on our management and Board. All of these risks may also impact our suppliers, business partners or customers, which may indirectly impact our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Increasing attention to, and evolving expectations regarding, ESG matters may impact our business and reputation.

Companies across industries are facing increasing scrutiny from a variety of stakeholders related to their ESG and sustainability practices. Expectations regarding voluntary ESG initiatives and disclosures may result in increased costs (including but not limited to increased costs related to compliance, stakeholder engagement, contracting and insurance), changes in demand for certain product or service offerings, enhanced compliance or disclosure obligations, or other impacts to our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

While we have in past engaged, and expect in future to continue to engage, in voluntary initiatives (such as voluntary disclosures, certifications, or goals) to improve the ESG profile of our Company and/or offerings or to respond to stakeholder expectations, such initiatives may be costly and may not have the desired effect. Expectations around a company’s management of ESG matters continues to evolve rapidly, in many instances due to factors that are out of our control. For example, we may ultimately be unable to complete certain initiatives or targets, either on the timelines initially announced or at all, due to technological, legal, cost, or other constraints, which may be within or outside of our control. Moreover, actions or statements that we may take based on expectations, assumptions, or third-party information that we currently believe to be reasonable may subsequently be determined to be erroneous or be subject to misinterpretation. If we fail, or are perceived to fail, to comply with or advance certain ESG initiatives (including the timeline and manner in which we complete such initiatives), we may be subject to various adverse impacts, including reputational damage and potential stakeholder engagement and/or litigation, even if such initiatives are currently voluntary. For example, there have been increasing allegations of greenwashing against companies making significant ESG claims due to a variety of perceived deficiencies in actions, statements, or methodology, including as stakeholder perceptions of sustainability continue to evolve. In the airline industry specifically, there has been particular scrutiny of and liability associated with the use of “sustainable aviation fuel” and carbon offsets and claims made in connection with same.

Certain market participants, including major institutional investors and capital providers, use third-party benchmarks and scores to assess companies’ ESG profiles in making investment or voting decisions. Unfavorable ESG ratings could lead to increased negative investor sentiment towards us or our industry, which could negatively impact our share price as well as our access to and cost of capital. To the extent ESG matters negatively impact our reputation, it may also impede our ability to compete as effectively to attract and retain employees or customers, which may adversely impact our operations. In addition, we expect there will likely be increasing levels of regulation, disclosure-related and otherwise, with respect to ESG matters. For more information, please see our risk factor titled “We may be affected by global climate change or by legal, regulatory or market responses to such change.” Simultaneously, there are efforts by some stakeholders to reduce companies’ efforts on certain ESG-related matters. Both advocates and opponents to certain ESG matters are increasingly resorting to a range of activism forms, including media campaigns and litigation, to advance their perspectives. To the extent we are subject to such activism, it may require us to incur costs or otherwise adversely impact our business. This and other stakeholder expectations will likely lead to increased costs as well as scrutiny that could heighten all of the risks identified in this risk factor. Additionally, many of our customers, business partners, and suppliers may be subject to similar expectations, which may augment or create additional risks, including risks that may not be known to us.

Federal budget constraints or federally imposed furloughs due to budget negotiation deadlocks may adversely affect our industry, business, results of operations and financial position.

Many of our airline operations are regulated by governmental agencies, including, but not limited to, the DOT, FAA, CBP, and the TSA. If the federal government were to continue experiencing issues in reaching budgetary consensus in the future, resulting in mandatory furloughs and/or other budget constraints, or if a government shutdown were to continue for an extended period of time, our operations and results of operations could be materially negatively impacted. The travel behaviors of the flying public could also be affected, which may materially adversely impact our industry and our business.

Changes in government regulations imposing additional requirements and restrictions on our operations could increase our operating costs and result in service delays and disruptions.

Airlines are subject to extensive regulatory and legal requirements, both domestically and internationally, involving significant compliance costs. These requirements may adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition. In recent years, Congress has passed laws and the agencies of the federal government, including, but not limited to, the DOT, FAA, CBP, and the TSA, have issued regulations, relating to the operation of airlines that have required significant expenditures. We expect to continue to incur expenses in connection with complying with government regulations. Additional laws including executive orders, regulations, tax laws, and airport rates and charges have been proposed from time to time that could significantly increase the cost of airline operations or reduce the demand for air travel. If adopted or materially amended, these measures could have the effect of raising ticket prices, which in turn could affect the perception of the airline industry, reduce air travel demand and/or revenue, and increase costs. We cannot be assured that these and other laws, including executive orders, regulations, or tax laws, enacted in the future will not harm our business.

A future act of terrorism, the threat of such acts or escalation of U.S. military involvement overseas could adversely affect our industry.

Acts of terrorism, the threat of such acts or escalation of U.S. military involvement overseas could have an adverse effect on the airline industry. In the event of an act of terrorism, whether or not successful, the airline industry would likely experience increased security requirements and significantly reduced demand. We cannot be assured that these actions, or consequences resulting from these actions, will not harm our business or the industry.

The airline industry is particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions.

Fundamental and permanent changes in the domestic airline industry have occurred over time as a result of several years of repeated losses, among other reasons. These losses resulted in airlines renegotiating or attempting to renegotiate labor contracts, reconfiguring flight schedules, furloughing, or terminating crewmembers, as well as considering other efficiency and cost-cutting measures. Despite these actions, several airlines have reorganized under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to permit them to reduce labor rates, restructure debt, terminate pension plans, and generally reduce their cost structure. Since 2005, the U.S. airline industry has experienced significant consolidation and liquidations. A global economic recession and related unfavorable general economic conditions, such as higher unemployment rates, debt and equity market fluctuations, a constrained credit market, housing-related pressures, rising interest rates and increased business operating costs can reduce spending for both leisure and business travel and otherwise impact booking practices. Unfavorable economic conditions could also impact an airline’s ability to raise fares to counteract increased fuel, labor, and other costs. It is possible that further airline reorganizations, consolidation, bankruptcies, or liquidations may occur in the current global economic environment, the effects of which we are unable to predict. We cannot be assured that the occurrence of these events, or potential changes resulting from these events, will not harm our business or the industry.

Recently, the global credit and financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruptions, including severely diminished liquidity and credit availability, declines in consumer confidence, declines in economic growth, increases in unemployment rates and uncertainty about economic stability. The financial markets and the global economy may also be adversely affected by the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, terrorism or other geopolitical events. Sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries in response to such conflicts, including the one in Ukraine, may also adversely impact the financial markets and the global economy, and any economic countermeasures by the affected countries or others could exacerbate market and economic instability. There can be no assurance that further deterioration in credit and financial markets and confidence in economic conditions will not occur.

Furthermore, the United States economy recently encountered a material level of inflation. The impact of COVID-19, geopolitical developments such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and global supply chain disruptions continue to increase uncertainty in the outlook of near-term and long-term economic activity, including whether inflation will continue and how long, and at what rate. Increases in inflation raise our costs for labor, materials and services, and other costs required to operate our business, and failure to secure these on reasonable terms may adversely impact our financial condition.