JetBlue to Charge for Blankets, Pillows

Source - FOXBusiness.com

JetBlue to Charge for Blankets, Pillows

JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it is now charging customers for pillows and blankets.

The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and has started offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.

The carrier claims the pillow and blanket feature a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands LLC, that blocks pesky critters like dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander.

JetBlue (JBLU: 5.45, +0.19, +3.61%) already offers free "Snooze Kits" on overnight flights from the West that include an eyeshade and ear plugs.

But the blanket and pillow kit is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel.

A JetBlue spokeswoman declined to predict how much the sale of these kits will bring in, saying that the company only provides revenue details for specific items in its quarterly earnings conference calls.

The carrier said last month it expects to collect about $40 million from customers buying seats with extra leg room this year. Its $15 fee for a second checked bag is expected to translate into about $20 million in additional revenue. A ticket change fee, which doubled to $100 in the second quarter, is part of a "basket of fee changes" expected to produce about $50 million in extra revenue in 2008.

Shares rose 22 cents, or 4.2%, to $5.48 in midday trading.

From the AP - US Airways pilots: We're pressured to cut fuel

US Airways pilots: We're pressured to cut fuel

By JOAN LOWY and CHRIS KAHN – 8 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The pilots union for US Airways said Wednesday the airline is pressuring pilots to use less fuel than they feel is safe in order to save money.

US Airways Captain James Ray, a spokesman for the US Airline Pilots Association, which represents the airline's 5,200 pilots, said eight senior pilots and the union have filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The union also paid for a full-page ad in Wednesday's USA Today addressed to "our valued passengers." The ad accuses the airline of "a program of intimidation to pressure your captain to reduce fuel loads."

Ray said soaring jet fuel prices have sent all the airlines scrambling to find ways to cut the weight of airliners because the heavier the plane, the more fuel the plane burns. US Airways, based in Tempe, Ariz., has recently removed movie players, redesigned its meal carts and replaced glassware with plastic to cut weight.

Jet fuel has surpassed labor as the airline industry's greatest expense.

But US Airways recently crossed the line when it ordered eight pilots who requested "an extra 10 to 15 minutes worth of fuel" to attend training sessions, or "check rides," that could put their pilot licenses in jeopardy, Ray said. The pilots were supposed to report for their training sessions Wednesday, he said.

"We feel they're trying to set an example," Ray said. "Captains shouldn't be intimidated into thinking, 'If I say I need this fuel, they may send me for a check ride.' ... Cutting peanuts off the plane, that's one thing. But cutting a captain's fuel level below his comfort, that's another thing."

US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant said the decision to bring in the eight pilots for extra training was not meant to be punitive. "That's totally not true," he said.

During the past few years, the carrier has required its planes to carry enough fuel to pad their flight times by 60 to 90 minutes, Durrant said.

"These eight pilots have routinely been above the 60 to 90 minute range. It just behooves us as a company to talk to these guys, figure out what they're seeing that we're not," Durrant said.

FAA regulations require aircraft to carry enough fuel to reach their destination and an alternate destination, plus 45 minutes worth of fuel, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said. Also, pilots have the final authority on whether their flight should have extra fuel.

Brown said she is unaware of any specific complaints filed by US Airways pilots or their union, but FAA has been monitoring reports of "minimum fuel loads" at some airports.

"We don't see any evidence right now that there are violations of the regulation," Brown said.

US Airways has studied how much fuel its planes really need to carry, Durrant said. "The heavier an aircraft is, the more fuel it burns, and one of the heaviest portions of an aircraft can be fuel," he said.

US Airways is also buying more fuel efficient aircraft and cutting inefficient routes from its network. Still, an average roundtrip flight costs about $299 worth of fuel per passenger, company officials said.

Associated Press writer Chris Kahn reported from Phoenix.

FUCK YOU VERY MUCH JET BLUE!

FUCK YOU JET BLUE! Charlie's not even FLYING on JetBlue today and you still manage to ruin my fucking day. Charlie has been gone for THREE WEEKS. THREE DAMNED WEEKS. That's a long time for us.

Since you asked, I'll tell you. Charlie has been in Vienna for the Eurocup. His soccer team (Chinatown Soccer Club) release a shoe with Adidas and they were flown to Europe to celebrate the release of the shoe.

ANYWAY. Today he was slated to fly back from NY to LA on VIRGIN AMERICA (I LOVE YOU VA, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.) And JetBlue (fuck you, again) is holding a plane full of hostages on the runway at JFK. Charlie is on a plane BEHIND the JetBlue (oh, i forgot, FUCK YOU!) plane. So now, there's no telling when me and my lover with be reunited.

Thanks again JetBlue. Whenever I have something really beautiful planned for my boyfriend and I, you never hesitate to intercede and fuck shit up.

Tell us why JetBlue, why am I hearing that there is a plane on the JFK runway with a stuck parking brake? Why did you even let that plane leave the gate? I question how a broken parking brake was able to pass the routine checks they have before a plane is allowed to leave. Or did it NOT pass, (but like on MY fateful day with Jetblue,) did someone make a decision to overlook it to not suffer the financial loss of losing an entire flight?

Anyway, fuck you again if I haven't said it enough.

WARNING! JetBlue Founder Starting Airline in Brazil

Brasilians, run like the wind. No, really, run. Avoid this man's airplane at any cost. And Brasilians, avoid being employed by this ANTI-UNION company. West Jet and JetBlue, both are non-unionized unlike most other carriers.

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES-SOURCE AP

Court Strikes Down NY's Airline Passenger Bill of Rights

Posted by Candice M. Giove at 1:29 PM, March 25, 2008 - From the Village Voice blog

So much for justice for the JetBlue passengers stranded on the JFK tarmac for 10 hours without food. A federal appeals court has struck down the New York Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, which would have required airline carriers to provide basic amenities like food, water, fresh air and clean toilets to passengers trapped on the tarmac in excess of three hours.

The Airline Transport Association of America, a trade group representing a number of carriers, lodged this second challenge to the New York State law earlier this month, and successfully argued that regulation should remain in the hands of the federal government and shouldn’t be handled on a state-by-state basis.

"If New York's view regarding the scope of its regulatory authority carried the day, another state could be free to enact a law prohibiting the service of soda on flights departing from its airports, while another could require allergen-free food options on its outbound flights, unraveling the centralized federal framework for air travel," the court wrote.

"This clear and decisive ruling sends a strong message to other states that are considering similar legislation,” the trade group said in a statement.

For Queens Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, who authored the bill, today’s decision was a major let-down for passengers. "The court's decision is a disappointment to anyone who has suffered at the hands of airlines that care more about profits than their customers," he said in a statement.

"This is far from over,” he added. “While this decision is a setback to passengers' rights, I will continue fighting until someone in a position of authority does the right thing and stands up to protect the flying public."

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JBH.COM

Hi Ya'll,

Long time no talk. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. It was about this time last year that I was about 8 hours in to a hostage crisis with Jet Blue. Since then, Charlie's had back surgery, I've developed a fear of Blue Chips (I kid,) we moved to a new city and I've fallen in love with Virgin America. Yes, I still fly you, JetBlue. Sometimes there's just no way around it.

Today was the last day you could legally file a lawsuit against JetBlue Corp for the false imprisonment of the passengers of the 9 planes stranded on the tarmac at JFK on February 14, 2007. I hope if that is the route you are going to pursue, that you've done it before today, when the statue of limitations expires. I'm still getting media offers so it looks like the story hasn't died yet and with any luck, this will never, ever happen again. JetBlue can take thier voucher worth the amount you purchased your roundtrip ticket and shove it.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY HOSTAGE CRISIS ANNIVERSARY TO YOU.

Charlie and I are going to relive our first Valentine's day by sitting tonight for 10.5 hours. But this year we're going to do it in the privacy of our house watching the Blade Runner Box set. All five discs, 583 minutes, or 9.6 hours. We'd still have to kill an hour after that to be true to our anniversary, but I'm sure we'll come up with SOMETHIGN to do. At least we'll have food. And the freedom to walk out the house. And use the bathroom. And not have a crying baby sitting right behind me. (You were really cute when you weren't crying.)

Love,
Gen

PS-IF you are interested in pursuing legal action, and I'm not telling you to, cos it's your individual choice, please contact me at jetbluehostage@gmail.com. I've retained a lawyer who is familiar with this case and many like it.