More Charges

[christinelee]

JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it is now charging customers for pillows and blankets.

The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and has started offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.

The carrier claims the pillow and blanket feature a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands LLC, that blocks pesky critters like dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander.

JetBlue already offers free "Snooze Kits" on overnight flights from the West that include an eyeshade and ear plugs.

But the blanket and pillow kit is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel.

A JetBlue spokeswoman declined to predict how much the sale of these kits will bring in, saying that the company only provides revenue details for specific items in its quarterly earnings conference calls.

The carrier said last month it expects to collect about $40 million from customers buying seats with extra leg room this year. Its $15 fee for a second checked bag is expected to translate into about $20 million in additional revenue. A ticket change fee, which doubled to $100 in the second quarter, is part of a "basket of fee changes" expected to produce about $50 million in extra revenue in 2008.

Shares rose 22 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $5.48 in midday trading.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Other airlines have long ago removes these items from their flights and don't even offer you to buy them.

 

I fly JetBlue all of the time, and realize that they have to stay afloat just like the others. I will just bring a sweatshirt with me on my future flights in case I get cold. I would rather they charge for items not all of us use, instead of drastically raising fare prices. It is then our choice to have the items or not.

 

The extra leg room fee - well that stinks, especially if it is the only seat left when you book - you are left paying the fee. The extra leg room is nice however, makes the seat like an exit row seat without being in an exit row.

 

At least they are not charging for soda and water yet. :rolleyes:

[Sandytoes]

JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it is now charging customers for pillows and blankets.

 

 

I just hope Princess doesn't follow suite...;)...:D

[merl]

While the extra charges are a drag - in the world of extra fees for everything on airlines it seems like Jet Blue is not too bad ( I do agree the $100 change fee it high). As the other poster said, at least it's for extra's that we can live without. We are flying Jet Blue for the first time for our December cruise and I have to say that after much research Jet Blue had the best fares - we are saving about $200 for our tix compared to what other airlines were charging.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

While the extra charges are a drag - in the world of extra fees for everything on airlines it seems like Jet Blue is not too bad ( I do agree the $100 change fee it high). As the other poster said, at least it's for extra's that we can live without. We are flying Jet Blue for the first time for our December cruise and I have to say that after much research Jet Blue had the best fares - we are saving about $200 for our tix compared to what other airlines were charging.

You will love the "JetBlue experience" as they call. We do anyway. Southwest come into an aorport closer to us, but if JetBlue flies to our destination, we will go to NY JFK and fly out of there (about an hour away versus 15 minutes) just to fly JetBlue. I don't care for the unassigned seating at Southwest.

[BalconyBumz]

I'm sorry, but I think this is ridiculous and things are getting completely out of hand.

[Cruising Greek]

I'm sorry, but I think this is ridiculous and things are getting completely out of hand.

 

Wait until you see the lavatory use fee, lol!