"We congratulate David Neeleman, our founder, and his team on their venture to launch a new domestic airline in Brazil," said Dave Barger, CEO of JetBlue Airways. "David is an expert at exploring market opportunities in the airline industry and stimulating travel demand. Creating a quality airline product by partnering with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer will be beneficial to the growing Brazilian travel market. On behalf of JetBlue's 12,000 crewmembers, I wish him well in this new endeavor."

In 1998 David founded JetBlue with $130 million, the highest funded startup airline of its day. Under David's leadership as JetBlue's first CEO, the low-cost airline grew from its first flight on February 11, 2000 to its current position of serving 53 destinations in seven countries with revenues of more than $3 billion.