JetBlue TrueBlue - Jet blue changed a flight by 4 hours - what is my recourse?

Here is the short version -

I have a flight from SEA - JFK on Jet Blue on June 1. The flight was originally scheduled for 12:45 PM and they moved it to 9 AM. They have given me 3 months notice, but I booked this over a month ago, and I had reasons for booking the flight when I did. So, what is the recourse in a situation like this? Jet Blue's only other direct flight back to NY is a red eye that night.

It looks like flights that day have SKYROCKETED in price since I purchased this one way segment of my trip. Therefore, looking around at other options for that day is a very expensive proposition. The agent I spoke to at Jet Blue said she "thinks" it is a refund situation, where I would get my money back and not just a Jet Blue credit. She was going to have to consult with her supervisor and I told her not to bother because I hadn't done all of the research on other flights yet.

My other option is to keep the flight and try to get some sort of bonus from Jet Blue for being inconvenienced. If that is the case, what should I start bargaining for? I was thinking that I would ask them for $150 credit on a future Jet Blue flight (a bit less than what I paid for the moved one-way segment from SEA - JFK). I have a feeling they would try to talk me down to $100, but I would start at $150. Then again, I don't know if there is any precedent for an airline like Jetblue to give any sort of credit in a situation like this.

Has anyone experienced this and can anyone give me some good advice?

Thanks in advance!

A refund to your original form of payment is available for any schedule change greater than four hours. A 9 AM flight moving to 12:45 PM does not qualify.

Your options in this case are to be moved, free of charge, to a flight one day prior, the same day, or one day later than your original flight.

If that is not satisfactory, you may cancel your flight at no fee and all money paid will be placed in a credit shell or into your TrueBlue account.

My other option is to keep the flight and try to get some sort of bonus from Jet Blue for being inconvenienced.

That is, unfortunately, not an option.

Then again, I don't know if there is any precedent for an airline like Jetblue to give any sort of credit in a situation like this.

JetBlue has a very reasonable policy for accomodating changes, that I mentioned above.

Good luck!

that's weird how they switched the flights around in SEA. Starting May 22 when all the new flights start up

Looks like they moved the afternoon SEA-JFK from 12:45 to 9AM as the OP mentioned.

They also swapped the redeyes around too. The SEA-BOS now leaves 11:20 PM arrive BOS at 7:30 instead of 6 something. and the SEA-JFK now leaves at 9:45PM and gets in around 6.

Looks like a simple rotation of aircraft. They will have 1 RON in SEA every night. Which is JFK-SEA getting in at midnight...leaving the next morning back to JFK.
So at least for the OP...it is likely that the flight will be on time!:)

The also seem to have scaled back JFK-DEN service for the summer.... which makes no sense to me, considering what UA is charging to fly to DEN.

In the end, this is really one of the major pitfalls of flying B6 -- their network is so thin that any schedule change (or cancellation or irrop) like this can result in a huge headache for the pax. Were you to be flying a legacy, they most likely would simply reroute you through a different hub.

All too often, B6's response to any inconvenience to the pax is to give them their money back..... but as you point out, you don't want your money back, you want to get where you're going!

Good luck, and, by the way, welcome to FT!

I've had many schedule changes over the years, but usually nothing greater than an hour or so. Even though the rule calls for a full refund (if you opt for that) on a change greater than 4 hours, I believe that if you call again jetBlue will be more than happy to issue the refund as a gesture of goodwill. Being that it's a route with only 1-2x flights is a good argument, and also tell them that you have a meeting that morning in SEA that you cannot miss. Do not hit "accept changes" on the notification email, and call in to get the refund. If the 3 hr. 45 min. change really does inconvenience you, then go for the redeye or just rebook on another airline at a different time. Another thought: Have you checked any connecting options via the new SEA-SoCal routes continuing on to NY? I'd prefer a nonstop, but those times may be better for you if available.

And, welcome to FT! :)

Thanks for the responses and the welcome.

Unfortunately, it seems like my best course of action is just suck it up and wake up very early on that Sunday morning and head home. Even if I canceled that flight and got a refund, I would have to book on another airline and then I wouldn't get my long haul plus internet bonus true blue points. In addition, flights similar to my ORIGINALLY booked time on other airlines are more expensive than this one way leg of my trip, so I will be paying money out of pocket. I guess I will just have to suck it up. Bummer. :(

I was really hoping to get reimbursed in some way from Jet Blue, but it looks like I'm not going to have any luck with that.

Thanks again for the responses.

It wouldn't hurt to call reservations and explain the situation to them. The worse they are going to say is no. Just explain the 4hr difference is a major inconvienance and you where wondering what they could do. You never know what might happen if don't try.

that's weird how they switched the flights around in SEA. Starting May 22 when all the new flights start up

Looks like they moved the afternoon SEA-JFK from 12:45 to 9AM as the OP mentioned.

They also swapped the redeyes around too. The SEA-BOS now leaves 11:20 PM arrive BOS at 7:30 instead of 6 something. and the SEA-JFK now leaves at 9:45PM and gets in around 6.

Looks like a simple rotation of aircraft. They will have 1 RON in SEA every night. Which is JFK-SEA getting in at midnight...leaving the next morning back to JFK.
So at least for the OP...it is likely that the flight will be on time!:)

0900 is a better time for me anyway, good call B6. Wow, now SEA gets a RON. :) I feel so happy!

Did you post this message on FatWallet travel too? I think I responded there. While officially you may be below the cutoff, I think your only option is to try to get a refund. I'm not sure how you'll convince someone at JetBlue to give you some sort of compensation given you know a long time in advance.. getting up early sucks, I know, but I've been moved to a 5:45am flight before :)

Waking up at 3:45am Friday for my 6AM FLL-JFK connecting to LAS.

Time :mad:
Vegas :D

Did you post this message on FatWallet travel too? I think I responded there. While officially you may be below the cutoff, I think your only option is to try to get a refund. I'm not sure how you'll convince someone at JetBlue to give you some sort of compensation given you know a long time in advance.. getting up early sucks, I know, but I've been moved to a 5:45am flight before :)

Yes, yes I did.

Thanks for all of the responses everyone. I will report back once I call Jet Blue and see what they offer me.

Wirelessly posted (RIM BB 7130e: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/106)

What about a half hour difference. ?

What about a half hour difference. ?

You are unlikely to get too many options there, even though they should. My guess is that they'll offer you credit for the value of the ticket or no charge to change to an alternate flight/routing on the same day, at best.

You are unlikely to get too many options there, even though they should. My guess is that they'll offer you credit for the value of the ticket or no charge to change to an alternate flight/routing on the same day, at best.

I am on a noon flight -- there is a 6 AM flight, but would prefer to be on the 9PM flight the night before.

It is to the point that I can't go to work on that day, so I might as well go the night before. I am traveling to CLT, and getting there for a 6 AM flight would be miserable...

It is to the point that I can't go to work on that day, so I might as well go the night before. I am traveling to CLT, and getting there for a 6 AM flight would be miserable...

You can ask, but at that point I think that they're likely to say that the 30 minutes isn't really a deal-breaker one way or the other. You might get a nice agent who will move you to the night before, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Just as a little follow-up to this. Jet Blue offered to change my flight to the day before or after free of charge, and were willing to move my flight the same day as well. They also offered me a full refund of that flight, allowing me to choose another airline. Unfortunately, there aren't any other deals that are worth canceling this flight over. The good thing is, I have a free "out" of this ticket in case something WAYYY cheaper does come up (unlikely). Jet Blue would NOT offer me any sort of courtesy credit, so I was out of luck there.

Just as a little follow-up to this. Jet Blue offered to change my flight to the day before or after free of charge, and were willing to move my flight the same day as well. They also offered me a full refund of that flight, allowing me to choose another airline. Unfortunately, there aren't any other deals that are worth canceling this flight over. The good thing is, I have a free "out" of this ticket in case something WAYYY cheaper does come up (unlikely). Jet Blue would NOT offer me any sort of courtesy credit, so I was out of luck there.

So did they change your ticket yet? If they did, I don't think you still have your "out" available to you especially since you've already passed up the chance at a refund to go a day earlier.

So did they change your ticket yet? If they did, I don't think you still have your "out" available to you especially since you've already passed up the chance at a refund to go a day earlier.

I declined everything they offered me. I told them since the flight is still 3 months out, I am going to weigh my options. They told me to call back when I had made a decision.

It wouldn't hurt to call reservations and explain the situation to them. The worse they are going to say is no. Just explain the 4hr difference is a major inconvienance and you where wondering what they could do. You never know what might happen if don't try.

I had a flight change notification.

I did this, this morning for a flight in 3 months. They took care of me very well.^:D

I was on hold for 15 minutes, I accidently was disconnected, but checked online and the change I asked for, was there!

But, be careful what you wish for -- the new flight is only ontime 40% of the time! That's OK by me -- I call my ride, the moment I land, and by the time I'm on the street, they are rolling up to the arrivals curb :cool:

One final update to this.

I decided I would suck it up and just keep the 9 AM flight on that Sunday from SEA - JFK.

However, I am spending the first portion of my trip in LAS (originally scheduled from 5/26- 5/29, then I was flying Southwest up to Seattle on the 29th.

Anyway, hotel rates are dropping like a ROCK in Vegas for that week, so I decided to see if Jet Blue would let me move my Monday the 26th flight to Sunday the 25th without a change fee due to my trip being shortened at the end.

To my surprise, I must have sold it well, as they did it for me NO PROBLEM. So now, I am going to be in Vegas another half day and night.

I am very happy with my Jet Blue customer service experience!