Raising fares is relatively hard for airlines. Raising fees, on the other hand, tends to work out reasonably well. JetBlue is about to find out just how well as it increases fees for checked baggage and phone-based customer support.
checked baggage
Delta highlights airport innovations for the future of travel in CES keynote
What does the future of travel look like? With the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show keynote stage at his disposal Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian spent just over an hour on Tuesday morning going through what he sees as the next big things for the industry. And the company does have some very cool ideas in the pipeline, even if others highlighted in the presentation are less than new.
PaxEx Update: FTE Asia edition
AirAsia is (still) making big moves in the ASEAN region and digital bag tags are evolving to a level that might be useful soon. Plus some news on IFE/C going active and getting profitable. The 2019 Future Travel Experience Asia was a great show and these are just a few of the highlights.
Introducing Blue Basic: JetBlue’s new, most limited fare option
JetBlue’s Blue Basic fare is now for real. The basic economy offering limits flexibility, effectively introducing a fare hike. And the overall reshuffling of fare families brings a couple surprising adjustments to the company’s offerings.
Live from the CRJ550: PaxEx Update 25 Oct 2019
United’s newest aircraft type takes flight this week and the CRJ550 interior really is as special as the company has been hyping. Airbus orders and Boeing delays plus some fancy new wifi and upgraded airports on the horizon. Another busy PaxEx week.
JetBlue launches a new – and maybe useful – carry-on bag fee trial
Since airlines started charging for checked bags the overhead bins are more crowded and passengers more stressed. A new (optional) fee from JetBlue related to carry-on bags may help solve the problem. Or at least mitigate it slightly.
A Hong Kong Surprise: PaxEx Update (16 August 2019)
A surprise twist in the Hong Kong protests as Cathay CEO Rupert Hogg resigns. Plus RFID for bags, VR for passengers and new aircraft types launching service soon. A busy week with plenty to uncover in this edition of PaxEx Update!
Air France goes all-in on RFID bag tracking
Wondering where your checked bag is? Air France will soon have more and better data to help answer that question for passengers as the carrier commits to RFID tracking of bags beginning in 2020.
A not-quite-Basic Economy across the Atlantic
Fares are going up across the Pond. All three major alliance JVs now offer some sort of Basic Economy for transatlantic travel. The Star Alliance A++ group launched its version this week, with sales starting 5 June 2018. No checked bag, no changes and no upgrades are the main limits, though there is more nuance in the details.