ExpressJet Airlines announces JetBlue University Gateway Program partnership

ATLANTA, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ExpressJet Airlines ("ExpressJet") is excited to announce a partnership with JetBlue Airways ("JetBlue") through the JetBlue University Gateway Program ("Gateway") to offer qualified students and current pilots a clear pathway to a career at JetBlue.

The partnership expands on an earlier agreement with JetBlue to create three distinct pathways from an Aviation Accreditation Board International ("AABI") partner school to ExpressJet to JetBlue:

ExpressJet to JetBlue: Graduate AABI partner school and serve as a flight instructor for one year to meet Airline Transport Pilot ("ATP")/Restricted Airline Transport Pilot ("R-ATP") minimums >> Serve as a first officer at ExpressJet for at least 3,000 hours and 36 months for at least 4,000 hours total flight time >> Interview and begin training at JetBlue

ExpressJet to Cape Air to JetBlue: Graduate AABI partner school and serve as a flight instructor for one year to meet ATP/R-ATP minimums >> Serve as a first officer at ExpressJet for at least 1,800 hours and 24 months >> Serve as a captain at Cape Air for at least 1,000 hours and 12 months for at least 3,800 hours total flight time >> Interview and begin training at JetBlue

Cape Air to ExpressJet to JetBlue: Graduate AABI partner school and serve as a flight instructor for one year >> Serve as a captain at Cape Air for at least 1,000 hours and 18 months >> Serve as a first officer at ExpressJet for at least 1,800 hours and 18 months for at least 3,800 hours total flight time >> Interview and begin training at JetBlue

In addition, this new partnership will offer current ExpressJet pilots who meet all program requirements an additional option for career advancement.

"ExpressJet and JetBlue share similar values and a dedication to hiring highly qualified pilots, making our partnership both a good culture fit as well as mutually beneficial for each airline and our pilots," said Brad Sheehan, senior vice president of Operations – ExpressJet Airlines. "We're excited to introduce this new partnership to further solidify ExpressJet as the best regional airline for collegiate aviators to begin their careers."

The new ExpressJet pathways join the long-standing partnership between Cape Air and JetBlue. The Cape Air to JetBlue pathway requires graduation from an AABI partner school, flight instructor experience and at least 2,500 hours and 24 months at Cape Air for at least 3,200 total flight hours, plus a jet transition course before an interview at JetBlue.

Pilots in the Gateway program must meet a defined set of criteria, including regular performance reviews, and successfully complete new hire interviews at each airline in the path they choose. In addition, for the University Gateway Program, pilots must attend Auburn University, Bridgewater State University, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona and Prescott campuses), Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Jacksonville University and the University of North Dakota. For the Advanced Gateway, pilots who graduated with an accredited major and flight training from any AABI school are eligible. For more information, visit www.futurebluepilots.com.

About ExpressJet Airlines 
Headquartered in Atlanta, ExpressJet Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc., is a regional airline leader with 9,000 aviation professionals, an average of more than 1,800 daily flights and an all-jet fleet of Embraer and Bombardier aircraft. Through capacity purchase agreements, ExpressJet operates as American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express to serve 190 airports in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. For more information, visit expressjet.com.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 32 million customers a year to 90 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 875 daily flights. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

About Cape Air
Founded in 1989, Cape Air has quickly grown into one of the largest independent regional airlines in the United States. What began as three flights a day between Provincetown, MA and Boston has grown today to over 550 flights per day supported by a fleet of 89 Cessna, ATR and Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Each year, over 735,000 passengers trust Cape Air for their air travel needs to destinations across the U.S., Caribbean and Micronesia.  Wherever we fly, Cape Air is recognized for our outstanding customer service and convenient hourly flights.  For more information, visit capeair.com.

SOURCE ExpressJet Airlines