"Mini Mint" - JB to Introduce New Premium Cabin
 

EXCLUSIVE: JetBlue Will Introduce "Mini Mint" Premium Cabin Across Airbus Fleet - Live and Let's Fly

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d0041b4703.jpg

JetBlue will essentially add a domestic first class offering across the Airbus fleet, beginning in 2026. The seat will most likely be the Collins MiQ, as found on AA F/W, DL W, HA F, and UA W.

According to the article, only the A321ceo (non-Mint) will lose seats; the rest will stay the same:
However, it comes at the expense of legroom in Y. The "The Most Legroom In Coach" era is over!
This has been a long time coming but I'll admit I'm disappointed that Core is the real loser here. I'm also surprised that "Mini Mint" is the name they're going with -- I almost find it hard to believe.

These changes basically mean that it's now Delta with more TV channels but more delays, dirty cabins, and bad soda.

-J.

As one of those corporate/can fly business if they want to travelers, I'm honestly not a fan at all of this move:

1. The benefits of Mini Mint over existing EMS feel marginal - sure, the seat is bigger, but this is the same product I can get on AA (without catering, which has already fallen behind in Core)

2. Core is going to shrink to a ridiculous legroom level - I fly JetBlue because I like the consistency that I will consistently have great legroom, even when traveling for leisure. I also have no idea what JetBlue's value prop is with a shrunken Core - Delta has the same legroom, UA/DL have better snacks, and DL/UA/AA all have better operations

3. The lack of a FC seat is not my pain point when I fly B6 for work, it's that the flights are never on-time, usually for reasons fully within B6's control

Mini mint is not the name. It is an invention of the bloggers. Who knows what it will actually be called--given that B6 has not even announced anything yet.

Core is not going to shrink to a ridiculous level if the bloggers are correct. It would be comparable to the legacy carriers and there will still be EMS seats so if you want more legroom, you can get Mosaic status and get access to those or upgrade yourself with cash.

So funny how before an announcement comes out, people try to trash a product without even knowing what it will be be:)

Losing the legroom in coach means JetBlue is no longer meeting my needs (6'3" with long legs). I'll have to buy-up to adequate legroom on all carriers, leaving JetBlue with no advantage.

I do feel like we know what the core product will be quite explicitly though, and it's the same as other legacy carriers. My thoughts are that for B6, this poses a problem, because they don't have the reliability, network, or loyalty systems in place of those legacies. There needs to be some kind of product/fare/route advantage for them to compete, otherwise why not just fly DL out of BOS or DL/AA out of NYC?

Maybe more TV channels but much worse IFE. I forget, do they give out Biscoff on B6? Have been actively avoiding them for a while, and don't remember. I like Biscoff.

As much as I ..... and moan about JB, I prefer their AVANT system to Delta's IFE. LTV4 on the other hand is just trash (as is LTV2), though I'll take either of those over anything if the XM radio actually works.

JetBlue has never served Biscoff. For years they served Skeeter's nut-free chocolate chip cookies, and have gone through several other cookie products in the last several years. They certainly don't have the warm cookies you sometimes get in AA and AS F.

-J.

My experiences in riding B6 with a working Sirius XM system have been mostly a bust. Maybe 1 in 5 or even 10.

Be interesting to see how they work upgrades into the Mosaic program.

An email was leaked this morning on social media and is now making the rounds, but it also looks like the media is picking up on it.

JetBlue’s Turnaround Plan: First-Class Seats and Fewer Routes (WSJ)

The A220 will have 8F/132Y, the A320 12F/150Y, and the A321 12F/188Y. No word AFAIK on the mix of Y and EMS.

-J.

Is Core really going down to 30”? Wow what an about face for JetBlue. They were my preferred choice for transcons less than 8 years ago, great flights — but before the operational unreliability and now this…31” is tolerable for short hops but on longer journeys, no. And 30” is torture…

By the time this is fully rolled out, lack of a complementary "premium economy" offering on Mint aircraft will be a glaring product hole, as AA/DL/UA will offer it on all their premium transcons. I suppose reconfiguring the Mint fleet with a Mini-Mint cabin could be announced down the road and still completed at the same time, though.

Mini Mint will surely roll-out with cold food--I'm betting boxed meals, with some longer flights maybe qualifying for plated food a la transatlantic economy. Value and efficiency will still be a priority. IMHO, they are also making the cabin too small. A220 needs 12 seats and the A320/1s can handle 16-20.

How will B6 do 143 seats (8J/135Y) on the A220-300 when AC does 137 seats (12J/125Y), with their seats really packed in? So two more Y rows vs 1 less J row compared to AC. I guess EMS is going to be exit row only, although it's not like AC has much extra legroom seating. FWIW I have flown AC's A220 in Y on just a short hop from LGA and it was really unpleasant. I'd never fly it on a longer segment unless it was too cheap to be true.

I am also surprised B6 will move the A320 to 162 seats (12J/150Y). AA has left their ex-US A320s untouched at 150 seats (12J/138Y), and I'd imagine AA would've densified the A320 if they could. Are B6's FAs that much cheaper than AA's?

I don't believe this plan is going to work.

I don't disagree about the lack of W. I suppose it could be done like you said, but I wonder when they'll get to a point where there just aren't enough seats on the plane for it to be as profitable as it is now. Then again, AA has been doing it for years with the 32T.

I fully expect them to offer cold food, either an EatUp Box or a fresh food item (kind of like AA does in Y on transcon flights). There just isn't space for an oven on most of the planes with the current galley configuration, and most FAs are not trained in oven usage. I doubt it will be worth investing in a dedicated F&B product for 8-12 seats on effectively "some" flights.

To clarify, the A220 will have 140 seats as it does today (8F/132Y). Not sure of AC's configuration but JB uses Space Flex lavatories in the aft galley which frees up some more cabin space.

The vast majority of A320s have had 162 seats for a few years now, though there are still a few unrefurbished jets flying around with 150Y.

-J.

I guess that gives some breathing room, I was going off the helpful summary that listed 143 and didn't read the actual article. AC has the same lav setup as B6 if we go by aerolopa.
https://www.aerolopa.com/ac-223
https://www.aerolopa.com/b6-223

I am curious, what are other airlines doing? DL does 155 (16J/141Y), but I guess they assume they are getting a worthwhile revenue premium as they're operating 16J vs 12J. UA has kept their A320s at 150 seats with 12J. Then there are LCCs overseas too that go super dense on A320s.