JetBlue eliminates ticket change fees, but prohibits access to the upper compartment for cheaper fares

JetBlue Airways is getting rid of ticket change fees for most of its tickets, but travelers who are buying the cheapest fares should carry little luggage.

The New York-based airline said on Tuesday that from July 20 it will guarantee space in the upper compartment for conventional bus tickets up to Mint business class. But travelers who booked Blue Basic, the airline’s cheapest option, will not be allowed to use the upper compartment space, a policy that United Airlines implemented when it started selling basic inexpensive low-cost tickets in 2017.

If JetBlue does not deliver on its promise, it will give travelers a $ 25 credit. This is a relatively easy task during the pandemic, when few people are traveling, but finding space in the upper compartment has been a “big problem” for travelers during boarding, said the carrier.

Airline executives said these simple options are designed to compete better with discount airlines Spirit Airlines and Frontier, which generate much of their revenue with additional fees for luggage and seat selection. They also said, however, that they want many travelers to avoid these more restrictive fares and pay more for standard economy class.

JetBlue says it wants to make these restrictive and cheaper fares cheaper.

“Currently, our Blue and Blue Basic offerings are very similar to each other,” said JetBlue President and COO, Joanna Geraghty, in a note to the team. “We need to differentiate the two better by making Blue the gold standard, while we strategically focus on reducing the price of Blue Basic.”