First Time Flyer Review
 

I am and have been Executive Platinum at American Airlines for the past three years as I travel for work from DFW to pretty much everywhere, especially the east coast. Last week my wife and I took a cruise out of NYC to Canada but first had to stop off in South Carolina to drop off our daughter our parent's house. We flew AA from DFW-GSP.

To get up to the NYC area, we decided to take JetBlue as they had a nice early morning flight out of Charlotte, a 90 minute drive from the Greenville, SC area. We checked in at the JetBlue counter in Charlotte and then headed through security to our gate. JetBlue only has one gate at CLT so it was a piece of cake compared to those poor folks flying US Airways. Checkin was very simple and I like the kiosk as much or even better than American's. I didn't see an option to standby for another flight so I'm not sure if this feature is available at this time or not. It didn't make a difference on the outbound side of the trip anyway.

We boarded a few minutes early. The process was very smooth onto the E190. To cut to the chase, from a fellow super long time AA flyer, here are my observations:

PROS vs. AA:

• New aircraft
• Very friendly flight attendants who really look like they love their jobs, similar to Southwest.
• Free snack
• The DirecTV and XM are simply wonderful. Enough said. Just fantastic!!!!
• More leg room. Brings back memories of AA MRTC.
• Free headsets
• Hot tub in bathroom

Where AA is better (especially for business travelers):

• First class seat upgrades
• DC Powerports
• Priority boarding for elites
• First class line to check bags

I'll tell you what, for leisure travel and for carryon only business travel under two hours each way, I am very impressed with JetBlue. They have an outstanding product in my opinion.

By the way, am I crazy to be disappointed once we landed as the live TV was fantastic?

GREAT JOB JETBLUE!!!!!

Mike

@:-)

That echos the way I felt after my first flight. I don't use the lavs so I missed the hot tub. I'll take your word for it though. ;)
If jet blue interlined i'd fly them more often. Since i need to get to my destination, the other stuff doesn't matter.

Plus i believe their direct TV does not have ABC. can't watch Grey's Anatmy without ABC.

jetBlue is so awesome. It would be great if jetBlue went to a few more regional destinations. Savannah, Birmingham, Indianapolis, Kansas City, there are some missing dots for sure. In markets jetBlue serves they do an exceptional job.

One key difference between jetBlue and the legacy carriers in regional markets during irregular operations is that the jetBlue E190 may have a three hour delay but the Eagle / Express CRJ/ERJ with one cancellation after the next is that jetBlue is actually more reliable. Forget the great entertainment and wonderful in-flight crew, you stand the best chance of getting back to New York from Raleigh-Durham or Richmond on jetBlue than any other airline on the RJ's.

jetBlue offers a great product and I believe that if jetBlue could figure out a way to award miles similar to Alaska's program where you can fly Alaska and earn miles with virtually any airline (except Star Alliance) many of the top tier flyers would abandon their Super 80's and MD 88's (first class or not). Frequent travelers are driven by rewards and incentives, its the one area jetBlue could stand to be more competitive, jetBlue offers an otherwise great product that blows others out of the water.

This weekend was my first time using JetBlue. Since my outbound was IAD-LGB on a Friday afternoon I anticipated some sort of delay but the departure went smoothly and the seat (7D both ways) was great. I'm a bit confused as to why the seating chart the day before showed virtually all of the front rows completely full but at departure almost all of the middle seats in that section were empty (including my row, happily). The XM radio was terrific - I so much enjoyed the old radio drama channel that I never wound up watching my DVD player on that leg.

Monday morning's LGB-IAD flight went equally smooth. No XM radio on that flight, though, so I did use my DVD player, and I have to agree that powerports would have been a nice addition. Still, the flight went by quickly and we landed a bit early. Service was very pleasant and attentive on both flights, reminiscent of how service USED to be on the legacy carriers.

Overall, I was very impressed with JetBlue's performance and comfort. It was well worth the inconvenience of having to use Dulles, and Long Beach Airport was a delightful, no hassle change from the chaos of LAX.

I am a former AA Executive Platinum and CO Gold elite. I fly jetBlue as exclusively as possible, whether for short flights or transcon, and about 90% of the time on business.

Actually, I find that jetBlue is a much better airline for a business traveler on a budget than any of the legacies. Why?

First, because an affordable ticket can be purchased at the last minute, unlike most legacies, which will charge you an arm and a leg, an arm and a leg that will most likely land you in a middle seat of a much less comfortable economy section.

Also, when you buy one of these last-minute, more expensive tickets on jetBlue, you will be guaranteed an aisle or window seat in the 36" seat pitch section of the plane.

I save my small business lots of money and I always get a comfortable seat.

That's a lot better to me than spending two or three times as much money and having only a small chance at an upgrade on a carrier like CO.

I flew Jetblue for the first time a few weeks ago LGB-JFK roundtrip and really liked it. As a frequent AA flier I'm used to no food in coach, limited legroom, little to no entertainment, and crabby flight attendants. I found none of that on Jetblue. The live TV was great and flying out of Long Beach was a breeze.

I'll still fly AA the most as I like the elite perks particulary for irreg opps and international travel, but I'll definitely be flying Jetblue again in the future.

Hey, don't forget GSP!! We're growing (as a metro area) like gangbusters. The housing market here HASN'T slumped, and companies are expanding or moving here all the time. I'm sure all our newly-arrived residents have family all over the place they need to go visit, aside from all the business travel surely generated by the new facilities/headquarters here.

I flew JB (B6) for the first time last week - only PIT/JFK/PIT - but for very short flights, all I can say is WOW!!! I had such a great time with the XM & TV! Outbound, I had an empty seat next to me, so I had XM Radio on one system, and the other on TV and I was watching TV (GSN) while listening to the radio - and switching back and forth!! I had such a good time, I just didn't want to get off the plane - REALLY! I was the last one off the plane! I was writing down names and artists of songs I enjoyed on XM so I can get them - and I have XM at home! The new E190 was GREAT! The FA's were absolutely SUPER!! VERY accomodating, especially for such a short flight.
I'd like to say that I'll use JB often, and I'm sure that I will whenever I can, but they just don't fly to many places I go! Also, I have absolutely NO problem taking connecting flights, but with service from PIT only to JFK and BOS non-stop, many to most good locations require you to back-track in order to get there. In another thread someone asked why people here in PIT keep using US instead of JB - - one reason suggested is because PIT people are so invested in the US DM program but I think that many people do not want to fly from PIT to California via JFK!
Anyway - GREAT JOB, JB, I look forward to another great flight experience soon - maybe as soon as October!

PS My favorite "CUTE" thing - also something I've never seen, or perhaps just never noticed before, was the small signs in the lavs that say something like: Do not flush while seated on toilet!! WHAT a hoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't think management browses these forums? FlyMeHomeAA's Review was just sent out to the rest of the company in a company email! ^

Does this mean they are considering the Hot Tub in the bathrooms :D.

Speaking of which, if anyone in route planning is reading this, how bout a SLC-JFK flight thats NOT A REDEYE? I know you offer Shut-eye service and all but how can anyone sleep on your planes with all the good entertainment options (XM and DirecTV) :D

That is awesome!!!!!

I've flown 15 segments on B6 since 2002, and have a few more coming up. Only thing I prefer about UA is channel 9. If B6 put ATC onto the audio system, I'd lose any incentive to fly UA, and possibly even VX.

Just read that "Daily News" communication to us and it brings you right to the thread...

Well, in that case...if any other jetBlue crewmembers are reading this now, please join FT (it's free!) and share the greatness of this forum with your friends across the industry. We would all love for you to join in the discussions. To the FA's, I'm the one who wears the blue jetBlue baseball cap, usually on the JFK-FLL-JFK runs!

Has there been any news from JetBlue corporate about introducing a Channel 9 service similar to UA? Why is UA the only airline with Channel 9 ATC? :confused:

No communication has been sent regarding this concept. Don't plan on it.

Here's an idea, watch one of the 30 channels of live Directv or the XM radio...

Nowhere nearly as entertaining as Channel 9. You can keep your TV; I want ATC :D

I still find it strange that UA is the only carrier to offer the ATC broadcast, especially as so many are now offering IFE that would seem to be capable of doing it. Having Channel 9 might actually be enough to get me to choose UA for my BMI flying/earning here going forward as I try for Gold there.

All I can say is wow, and I'm an aviation enthusiast who spent many hours listening to ATC as a kid...

I said "might." I'd much rather just take an actual bmi flight, but the taxes and exchange rate being what it is headed to the UK, that seems to be out of the question. The other option is a quick Thai flight to BKK to get some new suits if required by my new job (I don't have one yet, but I plan to soon), so only time will tell. But given the shoice between UA and US I'd have to fly UA, I think. Or I'll just fly to Canada on AC. Not a lot of choices, so I'll have to make do with what I can.

Please bear in mind that many on this forum (and indeed, many flyers) are airline enthusiasts, and enjoy things like this.

Anybody can appreciate TV shows or movies inflight, but a select few (kudos to UA for recognizing this) get into the behind-the-scenes part of air travel. Heck some European airlines even have a camera on the bottom of the fuselage that they play on one channel of the IFE during takeoff & landing! :)

Something tells me UA might have some sort of patent on the Channel 9. Anybody know for sure?

One challenge regarding putting something like UA Channel 9 on jetBlue is that jetBlue doesn't have any conventional audio system on board, unless Ch 9 were routed through the p/a system. All the IFE on B6 comes via the satellite downlink and so Ch 9 would have to be created as an add-on.

I Echo the OP on my feelings.

I just started flying them after a friend told my how awesome they are. I have to say, when I get off the aircraft from BUR in JFK I don't feel like I've been on a plane for 5 hours. I guess it must be the directv that keeps me from think about the time, but I'm hooked! If they ever expand in the west coast they would really be a hit. It's like a breath of fresh air flying them and I fly alot.

Only 2 con's I find for business travel are:

1. Not seeing the seat map prior to booking (I don't have time to waste calling).

2. I don't like how the do their FF credits. I go to NAS all the time and get no more points for then if I started at JFK. I think it should be segment based so it's fair.

Besides those 2 things, every chance I get I'll fly them from now on.

Relieved...
 

Another AA/CO Elite here, flying JetBlue for the first time tomorrow. Was relieved to read your review - because you know how worried we always are when forced to fly an airline with whom we lack status.

I don't know how boarding works and when I called, all they could verify is that there is no "elite" preboard process (other than those needing special assistance), so I booked a seat in the back of the plane (yikes!), figuring it might board first. I'll find out tomorrow if it was a good guess. :confused:

There are no elites on JetBlue.

The very unconfusing boarding process:

First pre-boarding, then the last 5 rows board first, then its general boarding. However, the last-5 rows rule seems to be at the discretion of the gate agent. (It shouldn't be, but it seems it is. although usually only not done when the load is light.)

If you are on an E190, you want to be in the back of the plane anyway: More legroom in the back for E190s. (And if you are originating in AUS, then you did yourself right since I don't think the A320 is used on this route. )

However, if you had been put on an A320, you might decide to sacrifice boarding first in order to get supersize legroom, which is in the FRONT for the A320s.


There is nothing to be confused about. If anything, airlines with various statuses of different metalic levels and program names are much more confusing!

Boarding on jetBlue is almost always achieved quickly and painlessly. There are no elites and no FC creating a bottleneck at the front of the plane. Also, there are many fewer battled-hardened road warriors carrying on the huge rollerboards which quickly fill up the overhead bins and then lead passengers to float in the aisle looking for a space for their bag. This also creates a big bottleneck.

There are also some airports where the boarding/deplaning maybe from both ends. As an example, LGB is one of those cities.

Just as I was about to start a new thread on this topic, you beat me to it, Seat13c :)

I have actually noticed a HUGE decrease in the use of rear boarding/deplaning. :td::td:

Of my last ~20 flights into/out of FLL, I have not noticed it done not even once. They used to do it ALL the time - especially at C4/C6. Have not been to PBI in 12 months, but last time they utilized it. Year and a half ago at SEA I was pleasantly surprised to experience it. SAN did it. BUR, this past March, did it. FLL....not any more! What is going on there???

Well, what can I say, jetBlueNYFL. I'm quick. I guess that FT yellow flows through my vains co-mingled with the blue that comes with the Rangers, Yankees, and of course, B6.

Outside having to do it with HP 3 years ago due to jetway problems at EWR , its the one thing that I enjoyed about B6. Its something a little different that makes life with B6 nicer, more time efficent, and unique.

My thought would be the change came from either the management or insurance company at B6's or FLL's end. But that's just my guess. Then again, that is an obvious guess. I'm thinking it maybe a little of both. I wonder if there was an incident that may have prompted this change.

Very possible. Insurance is definitely a probability but I can't figure out why just at FLL. My parents are going into BUR in a few weeks, I will ask them if they do front/rear boarding/deplaning.

It definitely made the whole process flow smoothly. I wasn't a fan of boarding that way, but deplaning in the rear if seated in the last ~8 rows was great.

Oh, and LET'S GO YANKEES!!!!!

I can't imagine there is an insurance reason to do it. I would assume that it is because there are some airport where it makes a lot more sense than others. The only airport where I've seen value in it, other than those where one is bussed out to the airplane, is the Marine Air Terminal at LGA. The nice thing about deplaning from the rear there is that the main part of the terminal is at ground level, so no extra stairs. Otherwise, with the extra stairs involved in most rear boarding/deplaning optoins I'm not really sure where the value is.

The terminal at LGB is at ground level also.

What the OP experienced should be (as evidently AA did) acknowledged by all the legacy carriers, my fave DL included. B6 has always been pleasant, love the extra pitch and satellite TV and those Terra blue potato chips :), and I've found that service from the GAs and FAs (even those contracted out, like to SwissPort) has been admirable. If B6 could only enhance its FF program....:( my only loyalty to my DL FF program has been because of the ability to accumulate miles over time to make that big international dream trip. Even though DL has made it more difficult to find SkySaver redemptions, I'm still sockin' away those miles to make that trip a reality. With trueBlue, if I don't earn enough in a year for a free flight I'm toast.