<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jetsetter:
Being new to JetBlue, I am surprised they were so unhelpful with getting you a FIM or some assistance with your connection. I seem to think that B6 dubs itself as being more helpful, friendly, and accommodating than the "big 6" airlines? Also odd they don't oversell. I would imagine given their leisure travel concentration that they should not have a problem getting volunteers, so why not overbook?</font>
It's about customer service. An involuntary boot is likely to lose an angry passenger forever. And I think the fact that AA bumps pax at 50-times the rate of B6 speaks volumes. Further, the queer pricing structure of AA (requiring RTs and Sat night stays) encourages no-shows - effectively necessitating overbooking. B6's pricing scheme - all travel one-way - is much more clean and simple, and results in much more predictable passenger behavior - hence fewer no-shows.
If B6 had a decent freq flyer program, I'd be a major convert. As it is, I'll sit back and be an occasional B6 flyer until the route system fills out. Mean time, I still think the business model makes more sense - and if you look at what others are doing, at least on competitive routes, this is the way the whole industry is headed.