There is dissatisfaction among some JetBlue pilots since the company recruited a dangerous criminal despite its policy of not hiring anyone who has not had the COVID vaccine owing to safety concerns.
Two pilots for JetBlue have confirmed to The Daily Wire that they had employed John Perrys, a convicted felon. For assaulting a judge’s daughter as she emerged from the shower, Perrys was sentenced to nine years in jail. Perrys was given early release from prison in 2014 and is currently on a felony probation sentence that will last until 2044, said the Florida Department of Corrections.
The pilot, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, stated, “Apparently, JetBlue would not recruit unvaccinated pilots, but they will hire violent convicted felons to operate its planes.”
The Associated Press reported in 2005 that Perrys, then an Air Force captain, had been detained in Louisiana on charges of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon while wearing a mask and that he faced the possibility of life in prison if found guilty. Perrys is accused of attacking the judge’s daughter, his ex-girlfriend, with a metal baton after coming from the restroom at the judge’s residence. According to the Associated Press, the man was wearing a bulletproof vest and reportedly had knives, handcuffs, parachute thread, a shovel, and a mask in his car when he was apprehended.
In its application, JetBlue states that it “put our safety value first” during the influenza pandemic. All of the health and safety precautions we’ve had to implement throughout the pandemic, from mask requirements to travel bans, have had the same goal: to keep you and our Customers safer in the workplace and while traveling by air. JetBlue is committed to the health and safety of its employees and, as such, requires all staff to provide documentation of having received the COVID-19 vaccination. All required vaccines must be up to date before a recruit may begin their training.
Almost all of JetBlue’s 21,000 crew members will be required to get COVID immunization by the end of 2022, the airline announced in November 2021. This requirement stems from a mandate from the Biden administration.
However, this law was rarely implemented by the administration. The injunction granted by the court demands prompt compliance. Last month, we announced that the injunction had been lifted. Agencies should not: (1) take any action to require covered contractors and subcontractors to comply with previously published Task Force guidelines; or (2) enforce any contract terms implementing Executive Order 14042 until the countrywide ban to enforcement on October 18, 2022, is lifted.
The Daily Wire attempted to contact JetBlue about its immunization standards and its choice to recruit the Perrys, but the airline did not return any of our messages.
A screenshot of JetBlue’s intranet provided to The Daily Wire claims that Perrys has been employed by the company as a “Pilot Trainee” and “Crewmember” since July 20, 2022. Another photo showed him with a banner that read, “Congratulations, Class 34-22.” Even after being asked for comment, the Perry family ignored our attempts to reach them.
The company allegedly tried to train Perrys to fly the Airbus A320, but “many instructors have refused to train him,” as stated by the airline’s first pilot who talked with The Daily Wire. Some pilots reportedly have informed management that they will not work with him.
Another pilot once stated, “As the person in charge of a plane with as many as two hundred paying and oblivious individuals on board, I am putting my life on the line every time we take off.”