JetBlue
AIRLINE SATISFACTION INCREASES TO HIGHEST LEVELS SINCE 2006
According to J.D. Power & Associates’ 2013 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, airline passenger satisfaction has increased to its highest levels since 2006. The study measured passenger satisfaction with North American airlines based on seven factors: costs and fees; in-flight services; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservations. Satisfaction improved across all factors, with the largest yearly increase in boarding/deplaning/baggage. Overall satisfaction with the airlines improved approximately 2% over 2012 survey results. JetBlue earned the top score among low-cost carriers. Alaska Airlines topped the traditional carrier rankings, with Delta Air Lines in second place. (CNN.com, 5/15/2013 and eTurboNews.com, 5/19/2013)
AIRLINE NEWS
Delta has launched a third daily flight between Heathrow and Atlanta, while US Air is shifting its daily London flight to Heathrow from Gatwick.
JetBlue is adding Boston-Houston Hobby service on July 25 with two daily flights, supplementing its existing service to Hobby from JFK.
Alitalia’s refusal to compensate two passengers whose flight was canceled has ended up costing the carrier $125,000 and lots of bad publicity, after the passengers complained to the US Department of Transportation.
Alaska Airlines adds nonstop service from San Diego to Boston, its sixth new city served from there this year, on April 30. Next month Scandinavian Airlines will launch a new route from Copenhagen to San Francisco, flying six times weekly via London Heathrow. (4/2/13)
AIRLINES STEP UP ON-TIME EFFORTS
During the first 10 months of 2012, on-time arrival rates at US airports were the highest they have been since 2003, with 82% of flights landing within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. Late flights cost the airlines customers,
and money. With the margin between profits and losses so thin in the post-recession economy, many airlines are paying more attention to punctuality, and the stepped-up efforts are showing results. All JetBlue employees on a flight, whether they are flight attendants or the chief executive, start cleaning right after passengers leave. Within a minute of landing, Alaska Airlines cabin doors are opening. JetBlue Airways executives are donning plastic gloves to help flight crews pick up trash, and American Airlines baggage handlers are tracking luggage using handheld devices. Southwest Airlines operations supervisors are poring over the timing of every flight, tweaking locations for crew changes and scheduled maintenance. Boston.com, 12/23/12
AIRLINES UP THE ANTE FOR THE BUSINESS TRAVELER
Virgin America will offer a four-times-faster wi-fi connection, and also offers smaller businesses and entrepreneurs a 3% future travel credit for spending at least $20,000 with them. Many airlines have created sections of coach that offer extra legroom for extra dollars—United has “economy plus,” Delta’s version is “economy comfort,” and JetBlue says its single class of service offers “even more space,” with early boarding and a quicker pass through security as part of the package. American plans to offer its “main cabin extra” on all flights, allowing passengers to purchase four to six more inches of legroom and the privilege of boarding before others in coach. Other debuting come-ons, range from the Samsung tablets that American offers premium passengers on some flights, to Southwest retooling its frequent-flier program last year and Delta renovating several of its Sky Clubs. (USAToday.com, Oct.1).
FEATURED PARTNERS: JETBLUE AIRWAYS AND CHOICE HOTELS
JetBlue Airways began the only nonstop service from Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 23. The airline’s daily Airbus 320 nonstop is scheduled to leave DCA at 8:53 am and return from San Juan at 5:55 pm, extending JetBlue’s U.S and Caribbean destinations from Puerto Rico to 13. JetBlue, 9/4/12
Choice Hotels is now offering one night free for those taking two separate trips. After their second qualifying stay, travelers booking at ChoiceHotels.com or 800-4CHOICE until Nov. 14 will receive enough Choice Privileges points to redeem a free night at over 1,500 hotels. Choice Hotels, 9/4/12
NEW ROUTES FOR DCA
The Department of Transportation announced that four carriers have been awarded new routes from Washington Reagan National Airport. The following airlines will operate nonstop flights, schedules to be determined; Alaska Airlines to Portland, JetBlue to San Juan, Southwest to Austin and Virgin America to San Francisco. (USAToday.com, May 14)
FEATURED PARTNER: JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways will nearly double its popular service from Reagan National Airport (DCA), increasing flights by eight roundtrips daily to at least 16 roundtrips by this summer. The growth is due to recent FAA slot acquisition. Combined with its service between Boston and both Baltimore Washington and Washington Dulles International Airports, JetBlue offers a market-leading schedule and the most flights between Boston and the National Capital Region. Key summer schedule highlights for DCA – all available for sale now:
• 3 additional daily flights to Boston (for a total of ten)
• 2 additional daily flights to Fort Lauderdale (for a total of three)
• 2 additional daily flights to Orlando (for a total of three)
• 1 new daily flight to Tampa
JetBlue known for low fares, award-winning service and free TV, offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. carrier. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. It is the first and only airline to offer a Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by JetBlue service disruptions. Visit JetBlue for details. JetBlue serves 70 cities with 700 daily flights.
FEATURED PARTNER OF THE WEEK – JETBLUE AIRWAYS
Recently, JetBlue Airways was awarded highest honors in airline customer satisfaction among low-cost carriers for the sixth year by J.D. Power and Associates 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. This is the seventh consecutive customer satisfaction award JetBlue has received from J.D. Power and Associates. The airline also ranked highest in satisfaction among low-cost airlines every year from 2006 to 2010, and among all U.S. major airlines in 2005. The study measures customer satisfaction among both business and leisure passengers of major North America carriers. The study is based on responses from more than 13,500 passengers who flew on a major North America airline between July 2010 and April 2011. JetBlue Airways pride themselves in providing customers with exceptional service and value.
