New Florida Panthers JetBlue plane takes flight in Fort Lauderdale

A newly reimagined Florida Panthers JetBlue plane debuted in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.

The aircraft, a commercial Airbus A320, was revealed at the Jetscape hangar at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The plane is named “Go Cats Go.”

It seats 162 passengers.

A small group of media members, including WPTV Panthers anchor Mike Trim, attended the unveiling.

Panthers star forward Brad Marchand joked with the crowd, saying, “You guys see my new plane?”

Marchand was joined at the ceremony by Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Panthers General Manager Bill Zito.

The commercial airliner is capable of flying to all 130 JetBlue destinations.

It will fly locally out of South Florida, including Donald J. Trump International Airport in Palm Beach County.

Zito spoke about the significance of the livery during the event.

“There’s an energy from it,” Zito said.

“It’s so beautiful. It’s so cool, and I’m already proud of it, and I really have no reason to be proud of it. It’s just really special and really cool,” Zito added.

The plane’s design incorporates both old and new Panthers logos.

The current Panthers shield is featured on the tail.

The classic jumping cat logo — a fan favorite from earlier eras — appears on the underbelly of the aircraft.

Marchand, Barkov and Zito added a personal touch at the ceremony.

They signed the jumping cat logo with Sharpies, leaving their marks on the design.

For Barkov, the plane represents another milestone in the growth of the Panthers brand in South Florida.

“I love it,” Barkov said.

“It’s been fun to see this community grow, get more and more fans, more and more involved in here, and just seeing Florida Panthers everywhere,” Barkov said.

“You see it on the highways, you see like, everywhere and now this plane,” Barkov added.

The plane’s first commercial flight departed on Thursday.

The destination was Boston, Massachusetts.

Boston is the home of the Boston Bruins, the Panthers’ longtime Atlantic Division rival.

Marchand captained the Bruins for years before being traded to Florida.

He told Trim and a group of reporters that he suspected the choice of destination was intentional.

“I almost feel like they might have done that on purpose,” Marchand said.

“You know, because it’s not a plane that you’re going to miss,” Marchand said.

“It all stands out. They did an incredible job with it,” Marchand added.

Representatives from JetBlue told Trim that the Panthers livery will remain on the aircraft for at least five years.

This means the plane will be a visible part of the South Florida skyline and airport traffic through at least 2031.

The partnership between JetBlue and the Florida Panthers has deepened in recent seasons.

JetBlue is the official airline of the Panthers.

The team has won two Stanley Cup championships in the past three seasons, in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

The Panthers’ rise to prominence in the NHL has coincided with a surge in fan interest across the region.

Barkov noted that the team’s branding is now visible everywhere in South Florida, from highway billboards to the new aircraft.

The plane is the latest in a series of team-branded commercial aircraft in the NHL.

Other teams, including the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken, have also partnered with airlines for custom liveries.

But the Florida Panthers’ new plane is notable for its dual-logo design, honoring both the current identity and the franchise’s history.

The jumping cat logo was the team’s primary mark from 1993 until 2016.

Its return on the underbelly of the plane has been praised by longtime fans on social media.

Marchand’s presence at the ceremony was itself a notable moment.

The 38-year-old forward suffered a knee injury in early October during a game against the Los Angeles Kings.

He took a high stick and crashed into the goal post, causing his knee to bend at an awkward angle.

Initial fears were that the injury could be season-ending or even career-threatening.

But on the same day as the plane unveiling, Marchand told reporters he is back practicing with the team.

He said he hopes to return to game action in about six weeks.

“I’ve never been so happy to be out for this amount of time,” Marchand said.

“The injury could have been so much worse,” Marchand said.

“I’ve never hurt my knee before. I didn’t really know what to think when I went down,” Marchand said.

“I thought it really could have a career-ending type deal or a season-ending thing,” Marchand said.

“When I found out it was going to be, whatever, a couple of months, I was pretty happy that that was the case,” Marchand added.

His recovery timeline suggests he could be back on the ice in December or January.

Marchand is in his third season with Florida after spending the first 16 years of his NHL career with Boston.

He signed a four-year contract with the Panthers.

He acknowledged that he is in the later stages of his playing career.

“When you win, that’s what drives you,” Marchand said.

“I want to win,” Marchand said.