JetBlue will trial a new benefit for its TrueBlue Mosaic members this summer related to flight delays. Mosaic passengers on flights delayed two hours or more will receive a meal voucher at the airport to help ease the pain of the wait. Crewmembers were informed of the new program in an internal message this week.
The travelers, including other passengers on the same PNR, will also be eligible for upgrades to Even More Space seats at the gate on a space-available basis. Those upgrades previously have been available separate from the delays but in a less formal arrangement. It is unclear if the company is going to more aggressively restrict the complimentary EMS upgrades for Mosaic members at the airport moving forward.
The benefit will apply for all delayed flights, regardless of the cause. Particularly in the busier summer travel season where thunderstorms can disrupt operations (or, in the congested NYC airspace, a random sneeze in midtown creates a ground delay program) the likelihood of delays typically seen as outside the airline’s control is higher. For those delays that are caused by controllable events for the carrier the JetBlue Passenger Bill of Rights will still apply should the delay exceed three hours, in addition to the food voucher.
The trial program is slated to run through Labor Day. That timing may be adjusted based on crewmember feedback, according to the internal message.
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When I was JetBlue Mosaic, I always just went ahead and booked EMS at booking because they made it available to Mosaics for a nominal amount of miles. I have always thought that with as few Mosaics as there seem to be and with as few people as I have seen actually pay for EMS, I don’t understand why they don’t just let them book EMS at booking complementary. I guess I have been lucky, but I can’t remember ever having a JetBlue flight delayed for more than 2 hours. This new benefit is certainly not going to make me push to get Mosaic status again.
The points option is incredibly cheap and still a great value if you want to guarantee an EMS seat at booking.
I’ve had a few flights recently where I had a row to myself or empty middle in the back and the crew tried repeatedly to give me an EMS seat further forward. I explained that I was plenty comfortable and happy to stay where I’d already settled in and they were very, very confused. Almost like I’d let them down by not taking advantage of all the benefits I was entitled to. I found that amusing.
And I agree that the meal voucher isn’t going to drive people to suddenly want to be a Mosaic, but it is a nice benefit in the rare cases it applies.