SavvySugar

JetBlue All-You-Can-Fly Passes Sold Out Early

SavvySugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:30:51 -0700

You snooze, you lose. JetBlue's all-you-can-fly pass had its share of haters who questioned its value, but there were more than enough enthusiasts that were gung-ho for the deal. The special passes sold out before the promotion was scheduled to expire, and a JetBlue spokeswoman said, "We wanted to ensure those who bought the pass could get the flights they want, so we capped the number of passes we would sell."

I imagine the passes were popular with business travelers, workers with banked vacation time, and couples in long-distance relationships, and apparently the special brought out some interesting folks who just love to spend time in airports. Time tracked down aerophile and freelance IT consultant Seth Miller who plans to board 10 flights in 60 hours without ever leaving the airport. While JetBlue isn't profiting from people like Miller, overall it expects the promotion will "generate a fair amount of revenue."

JetBlue Launches Summer Sale and Extends Layoff Program

SavvySugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:55:40 -0700

JetBlue's once unique onboard amenities may be overshadowed by Virgin America's, but the "happy jetting" airline often has unbeatable prices. Most recently, JetBlue launched its Hello Summer Sale, with one-way fares from $29 to $129 and over 300,000 seats on sale. You need to book by May 21 for travel between June 2 and Sept. 9, so get cracking on a reservation if you want to score one of JetBlue's Summer deals.

In other JetBlue news, the airline is extending its Promise Program for six more months than it originally planned. The program will now allow ticket refunds through Dec. 31 for passengers who made a purchases before losing their jobs (you must have lost your job after Feb. 17).

Source

JetBlue Will Refund Tickets For Laid Off Workers

SavvySugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:30:00 -0800

So many people could use a helping hand these days, and JetBlue is stepping up to lend one to weary, would-be travelers. If you've flown with the airline with more legroom then you may recall its tickets are typically not refundable. In a business-minded gesture, JetBlue has announced it will refund the tickets of anyone who made a purchase before losing their job as part of The JetBlue Promise Program.

The airline is hoping its increased flexibility will encourage people to book tickets during this uncertain economic time. If you lose your job after Feb. 17 and booked your flight between Feb.1 and June 1, you're eligible to receive a full refund for your JetBlue reservation. The request must be submitted at least two weeks before your scheduled departure date. Do you think the policy will work out for JetBlue?

Source

JetBlue Is the Most-Delayed Airline

SavvySugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:30:25 -0700

JetBlue's CEO may have shown his employees that he's a stand-up guy by voluntarily cutting his salary, but the executives of the airline could probably save more money by figuring out a plan for greater efficiency. Research shows that JetBlue was the most-delayed major airline in August, with an on-time arrival rate of 64.7 percent, while the industry average for being on-time was 77.3 percent.

With that kind of failing record, some passengers may be more likely to seek out seats on other airlines. Northwest's on-time arrival record of 85.3 percent outshines JetBlue's August performance, and its punctuality made Northwest the top performer, timing-wise. As for regional carriers, Hawaiian Airlines' 91 percent on-time arrival record makes me want to put on a lei and say aloha!

Source

Become a Jet-Setter With JetBlue's All-You-Can-Fly Special

SavvySugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:34:13 -0700

JetBlue is making it possible for passengers to become true jet-setters with the airline's new all-you-can-fly special. For $599 (taxes not included), travelers can purchase a pass that allows them to fly to any of JetBlue's 56 destinations in the US, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean, for travel between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8. Flights must be booked within three days of travel.

The all-you-can-fly pass is for sale until Aug. 21, and there's just enough time to put in a vacation request to your employer. You don't want to buy the pass and then find out that your boss had a vacation planned for the same time, making the chances of approval for your request slim to none.

JetBlue Auctioning Flights on eBay This Week

SavvySugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:00:51 -0700

Coming off the bad news that they're the least on-time airline, JetBlue has announced they're auctioning more than 300 roundtrip flights and six vacation packages on eBay. While the opening bids are set between five and 10 cents, it's estimated the airline will make between 85 and 90 percent of the ticket's market value.

The flights up for auction are to 20 destinations and there are four mystery vacation packages to places including Las Vegas and Nassau, Bahamas. The mystery packages include four nights at Marriott hotels and flights leave on Thursdays or Fridays and return on Sundays or Mondays, and you must take your trip by October 6, 2008. You can find the auctions here. Will you be bidding for any JetBlue's tickets?

News Flash: JetBlue's CEO Is a Well-Paid Team Player

SavvySugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:32 -0700

Following last week's reports of a $7 million quarterly loss, JetBlue's chief executive David Barger has voluntarily taken a 50 percent base salary cut. The action brings his salary down from $500,000 to $250,000 and will apply through the remainder of 2008.

His pay-cut won't have much of an impact on the airline's overall struggle to survive the cost of fuel, but as The New York Times puts it, Barger's gesture is in show of solidarity with JetBlue's employees.

Source

It's Still Possible to Save on Airfare . . . After Booking

SavvySugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:40 -0700

You've done your homework on plane fares, but, when seeing the cost begin to climb, panic and purchase. Two hours later, the price is back down again even lower than before. I feel your pain, but don't slam your keyboard and give up. Do something about it.

That's right, you can actually save on airfare after booking. Both Expedia and Travelocity have 24-hour windows on their low-fare guarantees, and Orbitz's Price Assurance only applies if someone buys that fare at a lower price. But booking directly with the airline can allow even more changes after the fact.

While I wouldn't recommend torturing yourself with fare checks everyday from purchase to takeoff, it makes sense to monitor the price 24–48 hours after you book, just in case. To see a chart of fees and refund amounts by airline, read more.

Airline	Low-Fare Policy	Fee
Alaska	Refund fare difference, $100 discount code, same day as booking	$0
American	Refund fare difference, $50 promo code, same day as booking	$150
Continental	Refund fare difference, $100 travel certificate, same day as booking	$150
Delta	Refund fare difference, $100 travel voucher, same day as booking	$150
JetBlue	Refund fare difference into a JetBlue travel voucher	$100
Southwest	Refund fare difference into Southwest travel credit; no same day restriction	$0
United	Refund and $100 travel certificate same day as booking	$150
US Airways	Refund minus $150 change fee; no same day restriction	$150

Virgin America Voted Best Domestic Airline

SavvySugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:30:31 -0700

It came as no surprise when I learned that Virgin America was voted Best Domestic Airline by Travel and Leisure readers, and that's not just because the airline won the same award last year. The World's Best Awards survey asks participants to rate airlines in several categories, including cabin comfort, food, in-flight service, customer service, and value.

The airline has rarely fallen short in any of these areas during the countless times I've been a passenger on one of its flights. Unless you count the time a flight attendant wouldn't stop hitting on my husband, but we'll just call that an overly-friendly one-time experience (some people might even give brownie points for that). Virgin was followed by JetBlue for the spot as second best domestic airline.

Have you ever been a Virgin America passenger? Do you think it lives up to the title?

Who's That New Low-Cost Airline in Town?

SavvySugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:30:28 -0700

You may come across an unfamiliar airline on your next domestic flight search. JetAmerica, not to be confused with the international fleet JetBlue, will hit runways as of July 13. The low-cost airline is based in Clearwater, FL, and will serve midsized US cities that some larger carriers have clipped from their flight schedules.

JetAmerica will introduce 34 weekly nonstop flights at Toledo, OH; South Bend, IN.; Melbourne, FL; Newark, NJ; Minneapolis, MN; and Lansing, MI, and plans to roll out six more flights from Toledo to Minneapolis starting August 14. The first nine on each flight will cost just $9 (plus fees), with prices topping out at $199. Checking a bag will cost $15 per piece, and passengers will be charged for in-flight amenities like food and TV.