What to Expect from JetBlue’s BlueFirst Offering

BlueFirst – the new premium seating for JetBlue – is almost ready to fly. With the product formally launching later this year the carrier released some details about what travelers can expect on board.

CEO Joanna Geraghty describes the product as a “fresh take” on the concept, “an elevated experience that feels distinctly JetBlue, with thoughtful touches, caring service and great value.” And there are absolutely components that are distinctly JetBlue. Whether that’s favorable to passengers or not remains to be seen.

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The seat will be a relatively typical 2-2 arrangement, with “up to seven inches of additional legroom.” The carrier shares that the seats will include Tuft & Needle’s T&N Flex™ foam in the cushions, an offering unique to BlueFirst. Overnight flights will also offer passengers a blanket and snooze kit.

Renderings of the cabin show some interesting design choices, such as privacy wings on the rear row of seats. Rather than a hard bulkhead or even a curtain, these separate BlueFirst from the rest of the cabin without additional equipment to install. Also, the seven inches of extra legroom in first is measured against the newly laid out main cabin area, where legroom shrinks by 3-4 inches, so not quite the boost it could have been.

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Bigger Screens, Better Audio Options

Passenger in BlueFirst will see significant updates to the IFE experience. New, larger screens (13.3″, compared to 10″ for main cabin) from Thales are fitted in the seats (or on the forward bulkhead wall). Each screen includes USB-A and USB-C charging ports, as well as dual headphone jacks. A 110V AC power outlet is also available at every seat.

BlueFirst seats will be the first in JetBlue’s fleet to offer Bluetooth headphones pairing, a nice win for those passengers. This is one of the few truly unique features of the hard product only available for BlueFirst customers. And also one where other carriers featuring screens at every seat are well ahead of JetBlue.

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F&B With Flair

The updated IFE system also helps drive the catering experience on board. Passengers may choose to order drinks via the screen, with similarities to the Virgin America solution from nearly 20 years ago. JetBlue touts the “mixologist mode” that allows passengers to pick an alcohol, mixers, and other bits to create their favorite cocktail.

The company also touts an updated version of the BluePrint IFE platform as part of the product update. Saving a favorite drink into that promised personalization platform would be a nifty differentiation feature. It does not seem to be part of the play.

JetBlue will draw the line on food service for BlueFirst passengers at 899 miles. That covers about two thirds of the company’s currently scheduled routes. The fresh meal will be served as a “bento-inspired FirstFare box” with a main course, side, and dessert, varying by time of day.

Will passengers care that the meals are served cold? That has not proven an issue for economy meals on the airline’s transatlantic flights served by the older A321neo aircraft not fitted with ovens in economy. But travelers can be weird about expectations for various products and competitive considerations. A JetBlue spokesperson shares that “JetBlue’s reputation for the taste and quality of its onboard meals precedes it, and we’re confident BlueFirst customers will enjoy both the quality and variety BlueFare offers.”

All flights will also see a rotating selection of premium snacks served in the forward cabin. Most other airlines offer multiple choices for passengers. How JetBlue’s approach plays out will be interesting to see.

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There are few surprises included in the news. It all adds up to an offering that sits squarely in the framework of what most domestic US first class passengers expect and products deliver. It does little to stand out in the crowd.

But it may not need to. Adding a first class cabin is a great way to up-sell existing JetBlue customers. And maybe it will grab some share from other airlines, but it seems more likely to shift share within the existing customer base. This is not like the original Mint product where JetBlue sought to truly disrupt the transcon premium market. So it need only be competitive, not revolutionary. And it hits that mark just fine.

The negative impact to economy passengers will also be interesting to watch play out. Losing a bit of pitch may or may not really matter. Ditto for the shift in catering and space used for BlueFirst passengers. JetBlue’s galley’s are already often more than full, with snacks overflowing into the overhead bins. More of that would not be great.