So what’s it like to be fired from your own company? It’s horrible. It’s something you could never imagine happening to you. It’s not something you’d ever want to wish on anybody—that’s for sure.

Ever been fired from a job before? I was fired from Southwest Airlines. Herb Kelleher fired me after five months. I’m going to make a habit of this!

Why are you leaving now? Since the board moved me out of the C.E.O. role and into the chairman’s job, I just haven’t been that involved in the company. My best days were when I was out on the road, serving customers, hanging out in the back galley with crew members. That’s the reason I’m starting an airline in Brazil. I’ve put in $10 million of my own money. I wanted to let my new investors know that I’m serious, I’m dedicated, and I’m not straddling two worlds.

What does it take to start a successful airline today? You need a lot more money. We only had $130 million when we started JetBlue; we have $150 million for Brazil, and we have smaller airplanes. I wouldn’t do it in the United States right now. I wouldn’t even consider it. If someone said, “Here’s a couple hundred million. Go start an airline,” I’d say, “You’re out of your mind.”

With the recent groundings of Southwest and American flights, it seems as if the airlines are skirting the rules when it comes to safety. Should we all be driving instead of flying? Absolutely not. We’re safer now than we’ve ever been.

What was the biggest opportunity you passed up? When JetBlue stock was trading at 40 times earnings per share, I should have sold and bought Exxon Mobil.

What can be done about fuel prices? If I were the president of the U.S., I would convene all the airlines and say, “You get antitrust immunity for the next 12 months. Get in a room and take 15 to 20 percent of flights off the schedule.” If that happened, the price of jet fuel would drop.

You have nine kids. What’s it like packing for a flight with the whole family? I usually fly ahead to avoid the torment.