JetBlue eliminates ticket exchange rates, but bans access to bins for cheaper fares

JetBlue Airways is eliminated from the ticket exchange rates for most of its tickets, but travelers who buy their cheapest fares should pack their bags.

The New York airline said Tuesday from July 20 that it will guarantee trash space for its standard prices up to its Mint business class. But passengers who book Blue Basic, the airline’s cheapest option, will not be able to use the space in the trash, a policy United Airlines established when it began selling cheap airline tickets in 2017.

If JetBlue fails to deliver on its promise, it will give travelers a $ 25 credit. This is a relatively easy feat during the pandemic when few people travel, but finding space in the trash has been a “major pain point” for travelers during boarding, the carrier said.

Airline executives have claimed that these simple options aim to compete better with discount airlines Spirit Airlines and Frontier, which get a large chunk of their revenue from the additional fares for bag and seat selection. However, they have also said they want many travelers to avoid these more restrictive fares and pay more for a standard economy.

JetBlue says it wants to lower those restrictive fares.

“Currently, our Blue and Blue Basic offerings are very similar to each other,” Joanna Geraghty, president and director of services at JetBlue, said in a note to staff. “We need to better differentiate the two by turning blue into the gold standard, while strategically concentrating on lowering the price of Blue Basic.”