Airlines are being hit hard by the uncertainty from coronavirus, causing many to put off planning travel. JetBlue seemingly has an innovative solution for that.
JetBlue waiving change & cancelation fees
JetBlue has today announced that they will suspend all change and cancelation fees for newly booked tickets:
- This is valid for flights booked between February 27 and March 11, 2020
- This is valid for travel completed by June 1, 2020
This will apply to all fares offered by JetBlue, including Blue Basic fares, which usually can’t be changed or canceled. Even JetBlue Vacations flights can be changed and canceled.
Passengers who choose to cancel their flights will receive a travel credit for the full value of their ticket, which they can apply towards a future flight. Customers who want to change flights can apply the full amount from their original booking to a different itinerary, although fares differences may apply.
Why is JetBlue instituting this policy?
At this point there’s not any immediate reason to be concerned about coronavirus in the US, but JetBlue is introducing this policy to give customers confidence that they will not be charged any fees for changes or cancelations given how the coronavirus situation is evolving.
The big concern at the moment is with uncertainty, and JetBlue is addressing that.
As JetBlue President Joanna Geraghty describes the move:
“While authorities have not issued any travel restrictions to the locations we fly, we want to give our customers some peace of mind that we are ready to support them should the situation change.
Given our mission is to inspire humanity, we felt this suspension was an important way to live up to our crewmember and customer expectations during this uncertain time. We are committed to the health and safety of both our crewmembers and customers, and we are working directly with health and security officials as well as industry leaders for updates and best practices.”
Previously booked tickets don’t qualify
It’s perhaps worth specifically pointing out that previously booked tickets don’t qualify for this.
This promotion only applies for tickets purchased as of tomorrow (Thursday), and is clearly intended to generate additional business and put people at ease when they book flights over the next two weeks.
My take on JetBlue’s waived fee policy
The coronavirus situation is of course evolving at a fast pace, and no doubt it’s a hard situation for airlines to manage.
I have heard all kinds of situations of airlines not having much compassion, which isn’t surprising. Unfortunately the airline industry is largely no longer a people business.
What JetBlue is doing here is good for business:
- They’re acknowledging the huge uncertainty that coronavirus is creating, so they’re putting people at ease
- Assuming other airlines don’t match, they’re creating quite a competitive advantage to book with JetBlue over others
On the surface it rubs me the wrong way that they’re only applying this going forward and not to those who have already purchased tickets, though when I think about it more I take less issue with it:
- This policy is being implemented to address the uncertainty caused by coronavirus in the US
- Presumably if this does become at all a major issue in the US, we’ll see airlines issue travel waivers across the board, including for previously booked travel
What do you make of JetBlue waiving cancelation fees due to coronavirus?
Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.