Boeing will not like it, but JetBlue has announced that they will be the first recipient of Airbus's first american made A320neos.
For the european-based Airbus, to have a plant in Mobile, Ala., the backyard of their American rival is somewhat of a dagger, but for JetBlue, it is all positive.
"We'll be the launch customer of this assembly line," JetBlue CEO Dave Barger is quoted by Reuters as saying at the groundbreaking for the $600 million facility. "We have well over 100 of the A320s today. It's a big day for JetBlue as well."
This doesn't mention the 1,000 jobs that officials estimate the plant will bring to the state, which JetBlue order will help create and maintain.
This plant is the second for Airbus outside of continental Europe, the other is in China, but the euro-based company is hoping the Mobile location will help boost its credentials and help win more deals.
"With a final-assembly line here, that lets us become a U.S. manufacturer of aircraft with U.S. jobs," Airbus sales chief John Leahy is quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier also spoke at the groundbreaking, saying that the addition of the Alabama assembly line "represents the real transformation of Airbus into a truly global company. Thanks to Mobile, the sun will never set on Airbus."
"I think it would be great to have JetBlue in Alabama," Gov. Robert Bentley is quoted as saying by Alabama news site AL.com. "They use the A320. They have 120 of those planes in their fleet. They will now be made in Alabama, and we want (JetBlue) to create a hub somewhere in Alabama whether it's Mobile or Birmingham or both."
Barger, the JetBlue CEO, offered a diplomatic response, according to USA Today, saying: "We hear you loud and clear about working up our route system in the state of Alabama."
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