New Jetblue charge: $7 pillow, blanket

drlady

New member
Jul 1, 2008
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New JetBlue charge: $7 pillow, blanket
Airline company says comfort kit is latest item to boost revenue amidst high fuel costs, joining charges for leg room, checked bag, and ticket change.

NEW YORK (AP) -- JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets.

The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours.

The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.

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.
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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Fantastic. Next up they'll be charging for the oxygen you breathe at 33,000 feet.
 

edm7583

New member
May 29, 2007
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Oh come on is this really a huge issue? My understanding is that the brand new pillow and blanket is yours to keep. If you knew where those blankets and pillows the other airlines graciously hand out for free have been, and how rarely they are cleaned, believe me you wouldn't want them.
It's complaints like these that keep the airlines stuck between a rock and a hard place. The public screams when fares go up, and then they scream when they keep fares the same and cut the endless free handouts. I am a strong believer in the a la carte pricing model for airlines. I should not have to subsidize with my ticket other passenger's 100+lbs of checked baggage full of gifts for family and other locals, meals I don't want, amenity kits, etc.
Jet Blue, (along with Southwest) have hands down the best service of any other US airlines. Try getting a coach seat with a 34" pitch on AA. For a few bucks extra you get a seat with 38" pitch! That's more legroom than in some airline's first class cabin. Free direct TV, Movies available for a fee, free drinks and snacks, and a fair checked baggage policy. If they had more extensive service from Florida-DR they would be my exclusive carrier down here, but I'm stuck with either AA and their decrepit planes (except the 737-800 from MIA-POP) or Spirit when I get a good deal and have little baggage.