JetBlue Adds Private Suites to Transcontinental Routes

JetBlue Airways, which began life as a quirky, customer-centric low-cost carrier, but which has been moving toward a more mainstream business model in recent years, has announced a new customized lie-flat seat which will be available on transcontinental routes next year.

The lie-flat seats will debut on the carrier’s new Airbus A321 aircraft beginning in the second quarter of 2014 on the two most popular nonstop routes in the United States – New York to Los Angeles and New York to San Francisco.

The new seat debuted at the Global Business Travel Association convention in San Diego. The seat was created in a partnership with Northern Ireland-based Thompson Aero Seating and will be displayed in a 2-1 configuration.  Rows 1, 3 and 5 will offer 2-by-2 seating, and rows 2 and 4 will offer private suites, with one seat on each side of the aisle. Seat amenities include air cushions with adjustable firmness, a massage function, a 15-inch widescreen television, and a "wake-me-for-service" indicator.

"Transcontinental routes have had high premium fares we believe we can beat," said JetBlue CEO Dave Barger. "By offering our own, unique seats and enriched service elements that will include some soon-to-be-announced partnerships, we are creating a one-of-a-kind experience that will serve this market in a way only JetBlue can."

JetBlue said it expected to boost frequencies on JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO with new Airbus A321 aircraft next year.

"We expect to invigorate the market with our competitive price," Barger said. "Building on our original strategy of serving the under-served with a unique product and service-focused culture, we believe this new product will be very popular with current coast-to-coast customers, and may motivate new customers to choose JetBlue."

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com told TravelPulse that it “looks like they're upping the ante with ‘suites’ on one side of the first class cabin, which no other airline has on the route. That should give them a unique selling proposition.”

Hobica added, “It is clear they are losing customers to United, Delta, and American, all of which are improving their business/first products on those routes with lie-flat seats. Another factor behind JetBlue's decision is that there will be fewer first/business class seats on the other airlines since the new lie-flat seats take up more room in the cabin than the old seats. So there is a need for more of these seats, which makes a valid business reason for JetBlue adding them to its new planes. And Virgin America doesn't have lie-flat seats at all, even though its first class cabin is otherwise very comfortable.

Source: Travel Pulse, http://www.travelpulse.com/jetblue-adds-private-suites-to-transcontinental-routes.html