JetBlue asks flight attendants not to refuse assignments amid hiring spree to cope with 'strong demand' from travelers, report says

• JetBlue urged crew members to accept assignments as it tries to handle surging consumer demand.
• "Please do not refuse an assignment you are assigned to operate," JetBlue's Ed Baklor said, per CNBC.

US airline JetBlue has urged flight attendants to accept assignments to cope with high consumer demand.

CNBC reported the news, citing an email sent from the company to its crew staff.

The request comes as the airline ramps up the hiring of 700 new pilots and flight attendants before an expected surge in demand for travel over the summer season, per the outlet.

In the email viewed by CNBC, Ed Baklor, head of customer care and programs, said: "Please do not refuse an assignment you are assigned to operate; it is disruptive to the operation, lets down your fellow Crewmembers, and disappoints our Customers who rely on us to safely get them to their destination."

JetBlue did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

This is not the first time the airline has encouraged its flight attendants to meet the demand of a "busy summer season" as global COVID-19 restrictions ease across the travel industry.

Earlier in the month, the airline reportedly asked flight attendants on leave to return to work in preparation for the summer season, CNBC reported. The company told flight crew who had taken a two-month leave of absence for April and May to return to work a month early and attend mandatory training by April 22.

"We are still unprofitable after two years and now face rising fuel prices and other inflationary pressures that make it challenging for everyone," Baklor told crew members in the memo cited by CNBC on March 16.

He added: "With strong consumer demand and record hiring, we are anticipating a healthy summer. We will see the other side of this if we can count on your continued patience, partnership and teamwork along the way."

The travel industry has shown signs of bouncing back after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said air travel hit its highest level in almost a year.

TSA said it screened 1,357,111 people at airport security checkpoints this month, the highest number of passengers since March 15, 2020.