JetBlue TrueBlue - What JBLU Did Not Tell You About the $599 Pass

I (used to) fly Jet Blue weekly between IAD and JFK and occasionally to other places so I bought the $599 pass from Sept 8 to Oct 8. What they failed to mention is that they discontinued 40 -60% of their flights between IAD and JFK. There are NO flights that arrive JFK in the morning any more ..at all. They went from 4 or 5 frequencies per day to 2 or 3, depending on the day of the week. Needless to say, I think they could have publicized their massive schedule change in advance of selling me the pass...which is now basically useless if one needs to travel to JFK in the morning. I had been quite happy with Jet Blue until this. I do not know if there are any other city pairs similarly affected. I complained to JetBlue and they told me it was only one frequency on Tuesday and Wednesday that was affected...which was BS.

Interesting. When did you buy the pass and when did they announce the frequency changes?

I do find that B6 tends to mix up their schedule a ton. One of the reasons why they don't let you book out 330 days like many other airlines.

[QUOTE=magiciansampras;12350913]Interesting. When did you buy the pass and when did they announce the frequency changes?
QUOTE]

I just checked OAG and it looks like the last time JetBlue revised their schedule for IADJFK between 9/8 and 10/8 was on 6/12. This was two months before they started selling the pass and the OP had one week to research this before they stopped selling pass. It does seem silly that they don't offer a morning flight into JFK, a nice 8AM flight arriving an hour later should work.

The flight schedule was available on or before March 6 (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/jetblue-trueblue/929081-schedule-extended-through-10-31-09-a.html) for flights through October 31. This time of year is typically a trough in air travel demand, and this type of frequency reduction is common in September.

I also downloaded their pdf version for Aug09 which was available when the pass was on sale and now I got their Sep09 version. I was surprised to see how they reduced the capacity. For example, IAD-JFK flights 1300 (dep 6am), 1302 (dep 708am x7) disappeared completely, 1304 (dep 1119am x6) became daily, and 1308 (dep 430pm x6) disappeared on Tue and Wed.

Normally an airline has a fixed number of aircraft that are re-allocated for seasonal demand. If some flights are deleted, others must be added somewhere. The exception is that winter weather increases the average stage duration, giving a small percentage reduction in capacity available from a given fleet.

IAD-JFK has seen a significant reduction in capacity because it has been an absolute bust since its launch. However, it is "needed" in order to connect one large metro area (DC) to the rest of JetBlue's network via JFK.

That being said, as someone else mentioned, the last OAG change was in mid-June, so your complaint shouldn't be directed at JetBlue. It was your fault that you failed to look at the schedules ahead of time before making such a large purchase. Do you expect JetBlue to publish a press release every time they add or drop a flight?

The agent's response about the frequency reduction was in reference to the fact that Tuesdays and Wednesdays only see 2x on JFK-IAD, while the other days see 3x.

It was your fault that you failed to look at the schedules ahead of time before making such a large purchase. Do you expect JetBlue to publish a press release every time they add or drop a flight?
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One can only expect a schedule release on the airline's website for more than one month at a time, if the airline is serious. Criticism towards the OP I find rather distasteful and misplaced, when the schedule information on airline's website is not easily available for a longer than a month at a time.

One can only expect a schedule release on the airline's website for more than one month at a time, if the airline is serious. Criticism towards the OP I find rather distasteful and misplaced, when the schedule information on airline's website is not easily available for a longer than a month at a time.

Why? You presuppose the schedule is only way to check availability.

Did you know you can actually buy tickets beyond the current month, and thus check on availability?

I bought the AYCJ to fly on the four weekends. Before buying the pass, I checked availability to about 6 destinations on each of the weekends. I can't imagine that one would buy the AYCJ without any due diligence:
- For some cities (St. Lucia) there may not be any flights at all during the AYCJ period
- For some cities, the scheduling can be inconvenient
- B6 could have sold out some flights; given that they stopped selling the pass two days early, I thought this was a distinct possibility and re-checked the hour before I bought it.

Why? You presuppose the schedule is only way to check availability.

Did you know you can actually buy tickets beyond the current month, and thus check on availability?


Yes, one can check availability and notice that some flights advertised in the current pdf schedule do not show up. However, for the domestic flights, I would always assume availability and would check pdf schedule rather than booking website. I find it pathetic Jetblue's schedules are available for one month only in a pdf format. UA schedules as an example might be complicated with all the disc. etc, but they give you a better picture of their operations. All airlines are cutting flights, but if Jetblue knew of their reduced schedules in Sep as opposed to Aug back in June then there is no excuse for not making this information more prominent for people who decide based on flight availability which they would have checked in a pdf format as opposed to the annoying java application.

However, for the domestic flights, I would always assume availability and would check pdf schedule rather than booking website.
Fair, especially with the last seat availability of these passes. But if the schedule you are checking is for a different month than the one you are traveling in who's fault is that??

There are other ways to check the schedule beyond the PDF; I happen to use the windows application because I find it easier to navigate but there are others: http://www.jetblue.com/help/timetables/.

As a very regular IAD-JFK traveler (weekly), I must say that B6 has been screwing with the schedule like crazy this year. Flights come in and out like mad - I've bought / schedule changed / refunded / rebooked the same flight at least three times this year in three different months because B6 can't figure out if they want to serve this market or not. I get that it's been a tough year, and I get that maybe this isn't a compelling stage length for them, but I'm tired of getting dumped onto a totally unsuitable flight after my opportunity to buy a competitively priced flight on Another Carrier has already passed.

That said, it still beats CO IAD-EWR ;)

Yes, one can check availability and notice that some flights advertised in the current pdf schedule do not show up. However, for the domestic flights, I would always assume availability and would check pdf schedule rather than booking website. I find it pathetic Jetblue's schedules are available for one month only in a pdf format. UA schedules as an example might be complicated with all the disc. etc, but they give you a better picture of their operations. All airlines are cutting flights, but if Jetblue knew of their reduced schedules in Sep as opposed to Aug back in June then there is no excuse for not making this information more prominent for people who decide based on flight availability which they would have checked in a pdf format as opposed to the annoying java application.

It is possible that the schedule was not final back in June for their entire network and they didn't want to publish something that may change later. Do you know if they are or are not making revisions beyond September right now?
Would you want to make decisions based upon scheduled service in a PDF that may change month after month?

As a very regular IAD-JFK traveler (weekly), I must say that B6 has been screwing with the schedule like crazy this year. Flights come in and out like mad - I've bought / schedule changed / refunded / rebooked the same flight at least three times this year in three different months because B6 can't figure out if they want to serve this market or not. I get that it's been a tough year, and I get that maybe this isn't a compelling stage length for them, but I'm tired of getting dumped onto a totally unsuitable flight after my opportunity to buy a competitively priced flight on Another Carrier has already passed.

That said, it still beats CO IAD-EWR ;)

I can't understand this either. What ever happened to schedule integrity? If that happened to me I would avoid them like the plague and fly someone else.

I can't understand this either. What ever happened to schedule integrity?

Thats not the way B6 rolls.

I happen to use the windows application because I find it easier to navigate but there are others: http://www.jetblue.com/help/timetables/.
actually, I agree and think that is more accurate since it lets you select different dates so you are not looking at just one month as in pdf one.

But overall I think the OP is right in that Jetblue did not tell clearly that for WAS market they will eliminate the morning flight in September. Pretty inconvenient for some folks if it affects your options connecting. But still overall there is little to complain if you consider that others did not get a chance to get a pass, like me for example, waiting too long.....

But overall I think the OP is right in that Jetblue did not tell clearly that for WAS market they will eliminate the morning flight in September.What part of "Here's our schedule for the fall, those of you in the WAS market will note you're SOL" could have been more clear?

:p

One can only expect a schedule release on the airline's website for more than one month at a time, if the airline is serious. Criticism towards the OP I find rather distasteful and misplaced, when the schedule information on airline's website is not easily available for a longer than a month at a time.

The pass started selling 3 weeks prior to when it could be used. It is the OP's responsibility to check availability and frequencies on the route that he plans to use the pass for the most. The schedule information can easily be found on jetblue.com.

These frequencies have been in the system since mid-June, as has already been pointed out. JetBlue certainly didn't yank these frequencies 3 weeks before the flight was scheduled to operate.

As far as scheduling integrity is concerned, since when is it a bad thing that an airline plays around with its schedule to match demand with capacity in the name of turning a profit? Isn't it better than over-serving a market and wasting resources that could be used elsewhere? (Do note that JetBlue was the only major US airline to post a profit last quarter.)

(Do note that JetBlue was the only major US airline to post a profit last quarter.)

ummm.. AS, FL, US, & WN all posted a profit.

ummm.. AS, FL, US, & WN all posted a profit.

You're right. But nonetheless, my point still stands.

As a very regular IAD-JFK traveler (weekly), I must say that B6 has been screwing with the schedule like crazy this year. Flights come in and out like mad - I've bought / schedule changed / refunded / rebooked the same flight at least three times this year in three different months because B6 can't figure out if they want to serve this market or not. I get that it's been a tough year, and I get that maybe this isn't a compelling stage length for them, but I'm tired of getting dumped onto a totally unsuitable flight after my opportunity to buy a competitively priced flight on Another Carrier has already passed.

That said, it still beats CO IAD-EWR ;)

If you are otherwise happy with our service, please drop a line to Talk to Us at Jetblue.com! I am becoming quite confused by management's strategy; they tell us internally we are focusing on business customers, and yet we operate with little schedule integrity. I'm not certain if marketing, revenue management, and senior leadership actually talk to each other; they certainly aren't listening to us as employees.

In the meantime, thanks for your business so far.

If you are otherwise happy with our service, please drop a line to Talk to Us at Jetblue.com! I am becoming quite confused by management's strategy; they tell us internally we are focusing on business customers, and yet we operate with little schedule integrity. I'm not certain if marketing, revenue management, and senior leadership actually talk to each other; they certainly aren't listening to us as employees.

In the meantime, thanks for your business so far.

Just a quick non-employee's perspective... It seems like they want the best of both worlds (leasure and business). We've seen the addition of business markets in the last 18 or so months like ORD, SFO, and LAX (even though neighboring dots were already served on the last two) as well as BOS to BWI and MSY. However, in the last several months, we've seen the addition a large amount of Carribean destinations. You may business men on those routes but chance are that they are going for vacation like everyone else on the plane and not for a business trip.

The biggest thing that attracts business people is frequency and diversity. I can't say 1x daily to SEA and 2X to IAD is real helpful.

Since I used the IHG deal to book all my hotels, I'm canceling about 30% of my JB all you can jet flights. Since the IHG deals include air travel. I'm taking those flights instead since they all go non stop instead of routing through a JB hub. Sucks that I forgot to do that for todays flight. Too late to cancel it for today and the JB flight will get me there 2 hours later than the flight I had with expedia that I'm no showing for. I wish there wasn't the 3 day rule.

where is the thread for the ihg hotel deal?

Two guys took it seriously: Over 43,000 miles so far; averaging about $17 a flight that would have cost over $10K apparently. They are getting some play on ABC, Twitter, Facebook, etc., and spending a few hours taking showers, sleeping on land, or having fun.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=15823108&ch=4226720&src=news
"Thousands of Dollars of Flights for $600
ABC News - Tue Sep 29, 8:31 PM ET
Two guys take advantage of JetBlue's flat rate promotion."

... and they still have 8-9 days left...

Two guys took it seriously: Over 43,000 miles so far; averaging about $17 a flight that would have cost over $10K apparently.

I'm so jealous. I've only managed to put 14K miles on my pass thus far, though I still have this coming weekend to finalize. The "over $10K" number is one of those that could really be anything. Yes, the tickets would have cost WAY more than $599 to buy at any point in time but they could have been $99 or $399 each, depending on when they were purchased. I wonder what metric they're using to value them.