Gordon Bethune

It's difficult to have everybody like everything you do. I don't know anybody that's perfect and doesn't have a zit somewhere.

— Gordon Bethune

Grounding airplanes to cover your butt would never have let Orville or Wilbur change the world. We would still be spending weeks…

— Gordon Bethune

It's not a testosterone-driven industry any longer. Success is making money, not in the size of the airline.

— Gordon Bethune

I don't think JetBlue has a better chance of being profitable than 100 other predecessors with new airplanes, new employees, low fares,…

— Gordon Bethune

You're only as good as your dumbest competitor.

— Gordon Bethune

But I like to think that a lot of managers and executives trying to solve problems miss the forest for the trees…

— Gordon Bethune

It's the old adage: You can make a pizza so cheap, nobody will eat it. You can make an airline so cheap,…

— Gordon Bethune

In airplanes you have a choice between chocolate and vanilla. One year could be vanilla or it could be chocolate. I don't…

— Gordon Bethune

We're a stupid industry led by stupid people,

— Gordon Bethune

You don't lie to your own doctor. You don't lie to your own attorney, and you don't lie to your employees.

— Gordon Bethune

I just want to be able to get on an airplane and enjoy myself in Disneyland, not sit there worrying about all…

— Gordon Bethune

Every pilot thinks they're the best pilot in the world. I think I'm the best pilot.

— Gordon Bethune

The point is... you'd better figure out what your Customers - the Customers you want - value. Because that's what they'll buy.…

— Gordon Bethune

It really helps to know what success is before you get there, and if you know, then you can head right for…

— Gordon Bethune

Whether I'm at the hangar or at the airport or on an airplane, I get respect. And that's the best part of…

— Gordon Bethune

Watches are the only jewelry men can wear, unless you're Mr. T.

— Gordon Bethune

The airline business is the biggest team sport in the world. When you're all consumed with fighting among yourselves, your opponents can…

— Gordon Bethune

There are a lot of parallels between what we're doing and an expensive watch. It's very complex, has a lot of parts…

— Gordon Bethune

The guy in the airplane goes with you. So he has self-interest to do the good things, too, and I don't know…

— Gordon Bethune

I've spent my life as an airplane mechanic, pilot, aircraft manufacturer and airline CEO who never lost a life or an airplane.…

— Gordon Bethune

“Monday-morning quarterbacking not only defeats the purpose of training employees to do their jobs, it also makes them unhappy and teaches them…

— Gordon Bethune

“Never forget: Businesses are run by people; businesses are made up of people. So at the root of whatever problems you have…

— Gordon Bethune

I was a mechanic in the Navy. And mechanics in the Navy are like mechanics in airlines. You may have more stripes…

— Gordon Bethune

When you actually take the time to go over to somebody's office and personally thank them - whether their office is in…

— Gordon Bethune

Most businesses fail because they want the right things but measure the wrong things, and they get the wrong results.

— Gordon Bethune