The Business of Passenger Experience
JetBlue made clear a while ago that in-seat screens are here to stay. The company’s brand new A220 fleet includes 10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screens at every seat. And the product improvement with the A220 is massive compared to the E190s it replaces.
But the offering also includes some privacy challenges related to the personalization efforts JetBlue is implementing in partnership with the IFE vendor Thales.
Since the day it was introduced the A220 (nee CSeries) was described as a game-changer for the industry. JetBlue is about to find out just how well it works. The aircraft entered service on Monday and is a solid offering on which the company is slated to grow in the years ahead.
Slots are swapping. Routes are growing. And JetBlue is about to venture into uncharted territory. Phase two of the North East Alliance with American Airlines brings much of the change we were promised back in February, plus a few extra bits to digest.
As drama around the American Airlines/JetBlue Northeast Alliance continues to swell, the battle is spilling over to an unlikely location: Ecuador. Recent requests for adjustments triggered accusations of collusion by American Airlines and JetBlue, outside the approved partnership parameters.
Buried in a release about an expansion of codeshare routes between JetBlue and Qatar Airways is news that the pair will also establish recipocity for frequent flyer points earning and redemption. Details are scarce, but any growth on that front should be welcome for TrueBlue program members.
Better meals. Better entertainment. And the same comfortable legroom you’ve come to appreciate. That is the pitch JetBlue is making to economy class passengers as it offers further details about the cabin configuration on its A321LR fleet and plans for London flights later this year.
Passengers looking to fly on JetBlue’s new A220 now have a date and destination. Flight will depart from Boston later this month.
The highly anticipated launch of JetBlue’s service to London continues to draw attention as the carrier remains mum on which airport it will serve. But we now know that Heathrow has some slots available, though the carrier says it is keeping Gatwick open as an option as well.
When it comes to launching new service at smaller airports revenue guarantees to airlines are a key factor. The US Department of Transportation offers Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grants to help airports cover the costs of those guarantees. And with another round of applications released this week we can see which markets are compelling to airports and airlines.
More than a dozen longer domestic routes added at LAX in the past year are likely to bring about a different sort of recovery as the pandemic subsides.
