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People flying the cheapest fares JetBlue Airways has to offer will soon be able to bring a free carry-on bag with them when they fly. Previously, flyers in “Blue Basic” class had to pay to extra for the privilege. The new policy will take effect starting September 6, regardless of when a flight was purchased.
“Carry-on bags are an important part of travel to customers, and when presented with a choice between JetBlue’s award-winning service and another carrier’s basic offering, we want JetBlue to be the easy winner,” JetBlue president Marty St. George said in a statement. “We’re always looking for ways to evolve our offering in response to customer preferences. This is a win-win as we improve the customer experience and keep JetBlue competitive in our industry.”
JetBlue first introduced Blue Basic in late 2019 as a way to compete with so-called “ultra low cost” carriers, or “budget” airlines. Unlike other classes on JetBlue flights, Blue Basic seats forwent things like free flight changes, free cancellations, and seat choices.
“Our new low fare will be anything but basic, designed to help customers save while still offering the full JetBlue experience,” it said in a press release at the time announcing the fare class.
There’s been a lot of airline industry focus on the higher end of the fare spectrum lately. American Airlines in March said that it would be doubling down on its most premium passengers. At a travel conference earlier this month, JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley said that her company was excited about all its up-sold seats.
“About 26% of the seats on our airplanes are considered ‘like premium’ between ‘Mint’ and ‘Even More Space,’” she said. “And there’s probably even more opportunity there to more optimize how we’re merchandising to customers.”
But on the other end of the spectrum, it is also true that airlines that might be considered higher-end are increasingly dipping into budget territory to shore up industry-wide market share.
“As flying becomes cheaper and more accessible for a spectrum of customers, a one-size-fits-all offering no longer works,” St. George said. “Whether a customer prefers more included benefits, or they shop solely on price, our fare options coupled with our great onboard service, makes JetBlue the best choice.”