JetBlue eliminates ticket change fees, but bans access to airfare for the cheapest fares

JetBlue Airways gets rid of ticket change fees for most of its tickets, but passengers who buy their cheapest fares should pack lightly.

The New York airline said on Tuesday, July 20, that it will guarantee airspace space for its standard bus fares to its Mint business class. But passengers who booked Blue Basic, the airline’s cheapest option, will not be allowed to use airline space, a policy adopted by United Airlines when it began selling basic economy tickets at no price in 2017.

If JetBlue fails to deliver on its promise, it will offer passengers a $ 25 credit. This is a relatively easy fact during the pandemic, when few people travel, but finding space for the basket was a “major point of pain” for travelers during boarding, the carrier said.

Airline executives said these unpretentious options are meant to better compete with discount carriers Spirit Airlines and Frontier, which make up much of their revenue from additional bag fees and seat selection. However, they said they want many travelers to avoid these most restrictive fares and pay more for the standard economy.

JetBlue says it wants to reduce these cheaper and more restrictive fares.

“Currently, our Blue and Blue Basic offerings are very similar,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and COO, JetBlue, in a note to staff. “We need to better differentiate the two, making Blue the gold standard, while strategically focusing on lowering the price of Blue Basic.”