After recently triggering a widespread bag fee hike across the airline industry, JetBlue is now jumping on the basic economy bandwagon.
Following its peers, such as United, Delta and American, JetBlue will offer a pared-back service for its cheapest tickets.
Without disclosing specific details yet, the airline says customers buying the cheapest tickets will likely have to accept restrictions on when they can board, seat selection, and whether they will be permitted to change or cancel a booking.
In a communication to employees, president Joanna Geraghty said ‘our success is at risk’ if the airline doesn’t start offering a basic economy style fare option.
"At JetBlue, we never liked the ‘no frills’ approach, but with these competitors now offering basic economy on many routes we fly, customer behavior suggests our success is at risk if we do not disrupt this market,"
"Customers who opt for this fare will agree to some limits, which might include things like boarding order, seating and change/cancellation flexibility, but we will not make them feel like second-class citizens," Geraghty added.
Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines all offer a basic fare with various restrictions which can be about $50 cheaper on average than regular economy fares on domestic routes.
