MOC991

With these changes they've announced, I'd drop their stock as fast as possible. I mean that was their sustainable competitive advantage. If Jetblue was $20-$80 more on a route, people would still pick them because that included a bag and more space. In the short term they might get a profit bump, but now they have to compete with all the legacies toe to toe with no advantage over their better networks with more hubs. Their net income and stock price were already up year over year.

Clincher

I've personally never flown JetBlue but when it came to booking company travel for others the free checked bag was the tie-breaker when all else was equal. I agree with others that the free bag and more legroom set them apart and while this move may increase revenue initially, in the long run will be a bad decision for them. The crazy thing is that Jet Blue is certainly not ignorant of these factors but still make a short sighted decision in favor of some immediate cash flow.

mre5765

Wasn't this predicted by the financial analysts after the new CEO started?

Edit: yes. So why the fuss? You all should have changed carriers by now.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0HN0UQ20140928

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...higher-profits

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...-bag-fees.html

diburning

33" is still better than other carriers who mostly have 31", with very few that have 32"

Free TV, snacks, and beverages are still good

I'll probably still fly JetBlue if I have to pay for a checked bag, but probably not as often as I'd put more effort in when comparing prices vs benefits legacy carriers and WN. I do most of my flying on UA and B6 these days, but that may change. I particularly like UA's model of offering non-status pax ridiculously cheap upgrades. I don't ever want to get status again if it means I have the opportunity to buy up for tens of dollars.

FLIHGH

You know how the airline industry is. People can speculate all they want, but until something is announced, rumors are rumors.

MOC991

It is irrelevant what analysts and journalists predict about companies and the economy. I'm more interested in what actually happens, and the pure numbers which in Jetblue's case were profitable. As for talking with our feet, of course people wouldn't have left just because some journalists predicted the CEO might raise fees. Rumors are just rumors.

From a pure business perspective, they are giving up their brand image(years and millions of marketing dollars) and competitive advantage that no other airline was matching. The cost and time involved in changing seats on existing planes alone seems counterproductive. You can expect Southwest(free bags) and Virgin(more legroom, cabin) to go full in on every route Jetblue flies to reap their lost business, so it might not even take that long for numbers to drop. That doesn't even include the legacies chomping up the rest. That is why extra leg room and free bags are such a strong sustainable competitive advantage because no other airline would match them, and now they don't have to.

moulder3

As others have said, I think these changes are a BIG mistake for JetBlue. The better option would've been to simply add $x to each ticket. Nowadays, JB is rarely the cheapest option, but that's ok because people know they get perks like free TV, a free checked bag, snacks & good legroom. All of that factors into the decision-making process.

With these changes, JB has practically no competitive advantages against their competition (only slightly-better legroom, TV--if it works--and snacks). More importantly, customers are going to more directly compare JB to the competition and realize that TB miles are worthless compared to the three majors (United, Delta & AA/US), especially when it comes to international redemption.

For Mosaic members, the benefits were minimal already (still no free upgrades to EMS, like every other airline offers?!?) and now JB becomes like every other airline with all overhead bins filling-up and becoming a war during boarding? At least as elite on the other airlines, you're practically guaranteed a economy+ seat (and the possibility of first class). Without announcing that EMS upgrades will be complimentary at booking and/or some free Mint upgrades starting in 2015, why would a high-value business traveler continue to make JB their preferred airline with its limited route map, very limited redemption options for international travel & dealing with the soon-to-come overhead bin stress?

Letitride3c

Many of the casual B6 flyers have no reasons to check their bags when current policies allow up to 24" rollers & spinners as legal carry-ons & I've seen more than my share of them loaded sideways. With a late & tight connection last month, I had to gate-check my 22" since all the OHB space were gone - leaving me with my Timbuk2 personal bag with a tablet & other gears. Fly-Fi worked 75% of the then (on 2 transcon JFK-LAX) and IFE failed completely too on same 2 flights despite best efforts by FA to reboot it multiple times. All these extra costs doesn't yield any competitive advantage to fly B6 especially when AA/DL often have better prices on our frequent city pairs & scheduling - these move will send the pax running away with the bookings (mid-2015 is where they said the changes are coming ... )
This will be very interesting to watch in the coming months.

H3A3H3

2:36 AM, EST, and it took me much longer then expected, but I have rebooked 7 RT transcon flights that were on jetBlue to AA. SCREW JET BLUE!

Boston, it was the perfect setting..........for jetBlue to entice Boston passengers away from other carriers, add lots of flights and cities, offer extra leg room and free checked baggage.........and then, pull the plug on all of it.

So, to jetBlue, I say the following: I know that you took advantage of me, that you "bait and switched me," and that you have no soul.

So, starting yesterday, I tell every person that I meet why they should walk away from jetBlue and fly any number of other carriers. And I keep repeating myself, and repeating myself, and repeating myself.

jetBlue, by the time enough of your former once loyal passengers are done with you, you should look like a prune.

Sayonara.

IceTrojan

I guess we'll see next year if the prices actually drop to account for "unsubsidizing" everyone else's checked bags.

Are you going to send a note to JetBlue about your travel changes?

(And I'm not sure this is a bait-and-switch in the dictionary-definition sense of the phrase.)

djplong

I sent them an email via their website telling them how disappointed I was with their announcements. As their webform asked for my TrueBlue number, I doubt that my 60K points will influence their opinions but I had to say something all the same...

Long Distance

jetBlue has been living off of their "Low Cost Carrier" REPUTATION for a long time. While we know that they are not, the general public does not.

Add the unannounced policy change over the summer to not credit lower fares and the inability to switch you to another airline when they can't get you where you are going, yada, yada, yada, looks like the genius behind New Coke is now at jetBlue.

=========================================

PS Love this line in their e-mail last night "new, lighter, more comfortable seats that allow us to fly more customers while still offering the most legroom in coach" MY TRANSLATION - very uncomfortable seats



.

octr202

The new jetBlue "direction" feels like the goal is to do the bare minimum to still claim their various titles like "most legroom in coach" without giving a fraction of an inch over what they need to claim that.

Also wondering if the start of bag fees will see any work-around via the credit card (AMEX or other should it change) as some other airlines do.

Dieuwer

The "No More Free Bag" announcement was all over the networks in Boston last night. Speaking about bad advertisement...

airplanegod

I will definitely be doing less travel on Jetblue. There is nothing really competitive with them anymore. Southwest also operates nonstop flights to Florida where I am from, and everything else I can use a legacy carrier as they offer better route networks and services.