JetBlue has been a financial underperformer for years. A decade ago, lagging financial performance forced out Dave Barger from the helm. The airline began to ape the tactics of legacy airlines. They went from being ‘much better’ as a standard coach experience to equal or maybe only marginally better, squeezing legroom and slowing inflight investment while adding on fees.
Things went from bad to worse, and the federal government blocked their strategy to grow by partnering with American Airlines and by acquiring Spirit. Now they’ve come up with a plan to stop the bleeding by no longer chasing business travelers, cutting costs, and downsizing.
They’ve cut routes dramatically, reduced plans to grow their fleet, and they’ve tried to find new sources of revenue like raising checked bag fees twice this year including with the introduction of dynamic pricing.
But in perhaps the most penny pinching move yet that also best symbolizes the direction they’ve headed, JetBlue has started to charge $2 for Bloody Mary Mix. And by the way, it’s the same brand – but a smaller 7.5 ounce can – as what United, Delta and Southwest offer for free.
They also, by the way, charge $7 for earbuds if you need them to watch their inflight entertainment. On my last Delta flights this year in economy I was reminded each time that these are offered free. Growing up flying I used to have to pay to rent headphones if I wanted to watch the movie, and I guess inflation since then makes the price $7, but this isn’t the JetBlue you used to know.
There was an outcry when United Airlines tried to eliminate tomato juice on board back in 2018 and the carrier relented. Who knew they should have just charged $2?
(HT: Sam R.)
Your complaint seems to be a first world issue. B6 isn’t making money flying its passangers, so it needs to find other places to monetize or risk going bankrupt. The legacies monetized their FF/credit card programs to generate the bulk of their profits. JetBlue doesn’t have that as an option.
Not a fan of bloody mary mix so I would be in favor of raising the price to $5 (tax included).
Stupid! For that $2 somebody has to sign off, ensuring that X cans were loaded on the plane, FA has to count and agree, keep a written record. And keep change handy, sorry, credit card fees would be over $2 if we allowed charges. Be generous, 25 purchases, $50, FA has to keep track, count the money, certify that sales=cash, somebody counts the number left, enters that paperwork … count the $50 again, get it ready to deposit, count it again, when deposited, make entries in the accounting program … all that for $50, less the cost of product. When $30 or so make the difference between profit and loss …
B6 was never good. They provided something slightly (very slightly) different from the Big 3, and the big-mouthed egotists that inhabit New York and Boston took it from there, bragging about their “hometown airline”.
Jetblue just should have kept their original business model. Free bags, and the absolute best coach product in the industry. When Jetblue was an option, I flew them every time. Once they changed this, I opted for United. I get free bags there, similar crappy coach product, but at least I get some loyalty points and such.
JetBlue has been doing this for 2+ years, clearly a slow news day
They’re a LCC, I have no idea why charging $2 for bloody mary mix is an atrocious thing – they’ve also been charging for Earbuds from day one – their entire business model has always been offer a great hard product and charge for everything else.
JetBlue currently resembles an ultra-low-cost carrier. To address its financial issues, JetBlue could offer complimentary beverages and charge $10 for a red plastic straw, $10 for a plastic cup, and $5 for some ice cubes.
An activist investor is pushing southwest to become Ryanair. It’s going to suck.
At this point, it’s accurate to call JetBlue and Spirit ULCC’s…
Not sure why I should care about B6 charging $2 for a drink mix or $7 for headphones when I’m about to board a brand new A220 with the widest seats available in coach (18″ with 32″ of pitch) nonstop from BOS to ATL for $64.
Gary
Obviously they have to race to the bottom, because this is what the customer wants.
Their old business model is driving them bankrupt. Why not change?
So fly Delta.
Just a clarification, the photo of the Tito’s bloody Mary sure didn’t come from Jet Blue. They now offer only the ALB brand of vodka, far inferior to the Tito’s that most other carriers stock.
Well.if over the years, you haven’t purchased your own headphones/earbuds, then that’s on you. I have at least 2 pair for traveling. As for the bloody marry mix..oh well..maybe getting an alcoholic beverage on a flight shouldn’t rule your mood and life!!
@Taxi, Jetblue has never charged for the 7.5oz can of bloody mary mix in my past experiences. I have flown Jetblue flight 97 over multiple seasons in 2024 and requested bloody mary mix each time. I was never charged until this week, when the flight attendant said that “we have to charge for it now.”
Anyhow, better to have them charge than for them to cut JFK-DEN, as they have cut many other east-west routes from JFK.
Not really sure I agree with the author accusing B6 of squeezing legroom Their economy has more legroom than American and United.I say their economy offers as much space as UA’s economy plus.I work for UA and would much rather fly B6 in economy than in UA economy. B6 offers a better snack option than DL,UA,AA and WN.
I had a period of time I lost interest in attending MLB games. Pay for parking, high food and drink costs, etc. ticked me off. And, I’d deny myself extras. One day, I finally embraced that a night at the ballpark was going to be as much as $X if I did what I wanted. Either don’t go or go and enjoy. I suspect this may be what’s needed to deal with fee-oriented airlines. You want to carry that much luggage: pay the fee to check it or carryon. Want tomato juice: order it and pay $2. If that adds up to more than what a big3 charges all in: switch airlines.
A great airline ruined by shareholder demands and a terrible CEO in Robin Hayes.
I worked there from 2009-2021. Steady decline after Barger left. Morale sucked, compensation and benefits were a joke. Hayes’ obsession with going to London and Europe knocked them so far off course they’ll never recover. Now they’re cutting back on those flights because they’re not performing well financially. What was supposed to take Jetblue to the next level will actually be one of the nails in its coffin.
If what set JetBlue apart is being eroded than there is certainly less reason to fly them. JetBlue has shot itself in the foot. Now it must deal with the pain so-to-speak.
News flash: companies charge money in return for goods and services. Some even make a profit off of doing so, though not in this case.
I’m a frequent flier and I think jet blue will ho down sooner than later, charging $50.00 for luggage, I thought I read they will be eliminating those charges and so far nothing. When it comes to points to fly they keep raising them. You need more points to travel each day. It has gotten ridiculous, you pay $99.00 and in reality you hardly see any benefits. If Southwest can allow two pieces if luggage for free they can all fo it. Jet Blue is abusing puertorrican people charging so much to visit their island, enough is enough we should all get together and fo something about it so they can give you more for your money. This is one very unhappy jet blue customer
Yall complain and complain but at the end of the day, the airline has to somehow make money and cut its resources. Because it’s primarily a leisure airline, they’re going through tons of Bloody Mary mixes with all the snowbirds, etc. that they figure they have to reduce the consumption of this product.
A premium Sun Countryfication of JetBlue seems to be the operating plan going forward at the moment for JetBlue minus Amazon of course.
I cannot say I don’t like this! Now lose the screens in rows past 11 as a start.
Gary never got over not getting hired there or that the Corp Comm team thinks hes a joke.