Although millions of dollars are spent on airline security each year in the United States, it only took $100.00 for a JetBlue ticket agent to allow a unknown package to go onto a flight, coming from an unknown person.

On November 19, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was at [...]]]>

JetBlue ERJ-190 (N238JB) "Blue Clipper"

Although millions of dollars are spent on airline security each year in the United States, it only took $100.00 for a JetBlue ticket agent to allow a unknown package to go onto a flight, coming from an unknown person.

On November 19, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was at Charlotte Douglas Airport testing out JetBlue’s security. Their goal was to try and get an unaccompanied package onto a flight headed to Boston and unfortunately, they succeeded. An undercover TSA agent told a JetBlue ticket agent that he needed to get a package to Boston that day and would pay the agent $100.00 for helping. The agent took the $100, put it in his pocket and proceeded to follow the unknown person’s instructions. The ticket agent chose a passenger’s name at random, which just happened to be an unaccompanied minor, and the package went through the screening process with no problems. Although the package was harmless, the TSA pulled the package just before being loaded onto the aircraft.

“That’s really alarming,” Anthony Amore, a former high-ranking TSA official at Logan Airport told a local Boston CBS station. “When you have multiple layers in place you hope that they all stand in the way of a terrorist or someone who wishes us harm. In this instance, many of the layers were cast aside and we were left with this one layer of checked baggage screening.”

When the local station asked the TSA for a comment, they were told, “While we cannot comment on the specifics of an open investigation, TSA can assure travelers that, like checked baggage, every package tendered at the airline counter is screened for explosives.” JetBlue confirmed that they are “fully cooperating with the TSA’s investigation” and “the involved crew member is no longer employed at JetBlue.”

I do not share this story to cause additional security-related fear, nor do I want to “teach the terrorists” how to commit crimes against passengers. I share it, since I think it shows how spending so much money on the front door of airline security and so little attention on the back is a big mistake. Although JetBlue is partly to blame for training issues, this could have happened with almost any airline. They just happened to have a bad-seed-employee in the wrong place at the wrong time. Currently, the TSA is not talking about how often they conduct these sorts of tests and how often they get a package through.

Sadly, this story is just one of many that place many questions on back-door airport security. At the same exact airport, just a few days earlier, a teenager was able to sneak onto the airport secured area, illegally board a US Airways aircraft without being caught (unfortunately, he died en-route). There is also the story of the pilot who pointed out that airport security workers could by-pass security and caused him a lot of grief. Similar stories keep popping up and I have a feeling more will continue to do so. As passengers continue to give up their freedoms and are willing to put up with many annoyances to fly, while at the same time seeing how porous the security is behind the scenes, people will take note and demand for change.

Image: kenjet

Ah, a fight with the significant other. Coming up with a good argument to prove your point is always key. Threatening to crash a plane you will be flying with people aboard is NOT ok.

A JetBlue pilot flying out of Logan Airport in Boston was questioned [...]]]>

The nose of a Jetblue Airbus A320

Ah, a fight with the significant other. Coming up with a good argument to prove your point is always key. Threatening to crash a plane you will be flying with people aboard is NOT ok.

A JetBlue pilot flying out of Logan Airport in Boston was questioned by the FBI after he sent an email to his girlfriend threatening to crash his plane, if she would not reconcile their relationship. A search of his phone showed that he did send the email and he is currently at a Boston area hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Bryan Baldwin, manager of corporate communications for JetBlue, wrote in an email to WBZ-TV, “At no point were any customers or aircraft in danger. We are working closely with Boston authorities to ensure our crew member receives appropriate medical attention.”

Most likely just an empty threat, but one that is being taken very seriously.

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Happy 10th Birthday to JetBlue. To celebrate, the airline painted one of their Airbus A320′s in a special livery. Normally the JetBlue livery has unique tails with the rest of the fuselage being the same on all aircraft. This celebration was too big to just [...]]]>

JetBlue celebrates their 10th anniversary with a special livery.

Happy 10th Birthday to JetBlue. To celebrate, the airline painted one of their Airbus A320′s in a special livery. Normally the JetBlue livery has unique tails with the rest of the fuselage being the same on all aircraft. This celebration was too big to just stay on the tail and the 10′s go up to the wings.

Dave Barger, JetBlue’s CEO said, “since 2000, we have succeeded in building a new airline category that focuses on friendly service, free snacks and drinks, comfortable leather seating with ample legroom and complimentary satellite radio and live TV on personal seatback screens. We look forward to our next 10 years and thank all of our loyal customers and crewmembers for an incredible decade.”

JetBlue is based out of New York with a fleet of about a fleet of 150 Airbus A320′s and Embraer E-190′s. They are known for providing free satellite TV, XFM radio and unlimited free snacks.

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JetBlue is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 11, 2010. To get the party started, they asked employees to design a new tail fin livery that will be unveiled during the celebration. JetBlue has the same livery [...]]]>

These are your five choices. Click on the image to go to the voting page.

JetBlue is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 11, 2010. To get the party started, they asked employees to design a new tail fin livery that will be unveiled during the celebration. JetBlue has the same livery on the body of all their Airbus A320′s, but each one has a unique tail design.

JetBlue had to go through a lot of great submissions, but narrowed it down to the top five shown on this blog. Now you can vote and the highest ranked one will start flying sometime in 2010.

Go place your vote now!

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JetBlue announced today that passengers can now purchase an unlimited travel pass for $599.00 and fly to any of the airlines 56 destinations as much as they want from September 8th to October 8th. No blackout dates, any seat is game, you can book and change up to 3-days before [...]]]>

JetBlue A320 N640JB

JetBlue announced today that passengers can now purchase an unlimited travel pass for $599.00 and fly to any of the airlines 56 destinations as much as they want from September 8th to October 8th. No blackout dates, any seat is game, you can book and change up to 3-days before departure date, AND you still get TrueBlue awards points to boot.

I normally don’t blog about an airline fare special, but I think this might be an important test. If this becomes successful, this might be something JetBlue or other airlines do more. How great would it be to pay a flat fee and fly around the country (or world) visiting different locations on the cheap?

This is not the first time an airline has done something like this. American Airlines allowed folks to pay $250,000.00 to fly free for life, however the program ended in 2004. Earlier this year Cathay Pacific offered their All Asia Pass, where travelers could get unlimited flights to selected cities over a three week period for around $1500.00. Air Canada has also played with the notion of having unlimited flights. The problems in previous attempts, is #1 having too many restrictions or #2 being too costly (the last American pass sold for $3million). It seems JetBlue might have the right formula with relatively low cost and low complexity.  It is something I would seriously consider taking part in, if I had a month I could take off of work!

Virgin American's RED where you can order food and drink right at your seat.

In an age where almost everyone has an Debit or Credit Card and that airlines are charging for more things on flights than just movies and alcohol, it seems obvious that airlines should be taking credit cards [...]]]>

Virgin American's RED where you can order food and drink right at your seat.

In an age where almost everyone has an Debit or Credit Card and that airlines are charging for more things on flights than just movies and alcohol, it seems obvious that airlines should be taking credit cards in flight.

Going cashless has many benefits (not having to have cash on the plane, don’t have to ask for change, encourages people to spend more, etc), but some flight attendants are worried what happens if the card reader doesn’t work? And there are concerns that the credit cards will slow down service.

Although airlines that have already implemented the service show there is a learning curve, but once learned, service can actually pick up.

Virgin America probably has the coolest system where you can order items on the entertainment module in the seat back and actually swipe your credit card there.

Current American cashless airlines:
* United Airlines: Since late April
* AirTran
* American Airlines by June 1
* JetBlue
* AirTran
* Southwest Airlines
* Sun country Airlines
* Frontier Airlines
* Alaska Airlines
* USA3000
* MidWest Airlines
* Virgin America
There could be more — there doesn’t seem to be a full list of airlines and I tried to search down as many as I could.

Although the additional charges might be bothersome, at least most airlines are making an effort to make paying them easier.

A cargo handler working for JetBlue decided to take a little nap at a bad time. He fell asleep in the planes cargo bin and didn’t realize what was going on until in the air. Lucky for him, the cargo hold was heated which allowed him to live [...]]]>

Cargo Door open on jetBlue A320

A cargo handler working for JetBlue decided to take a little nap at a bad time. He fell asleep in the planes cargo bin and didn’t realize what was going on until in the air. Lucky for him, the cargo hold was heated which allowed him to live to tell his tale.

He took the short flight from New York to Boston and after be determined it was all an honest mistake, he was allowed to return to New York. No word if he will be one of many people newly unemployed.

Source: KOMO Image: gTarded

There has been a lot of bad economic news for the airline industry for a long while now. But many individuals are starting to feel the pain of the suffering economy by losing their jobs.

To assist those unfortunate people who lose their jobs, JetBlue Airways is offering a full [...]]]>

Let's Honk for JetBlue

There has been a lot of bad economic news for the airline industry for a long while now. But many individuals are starting to feel the pain of the suffering economy by losing their jobs.

To assist those unfortunate people who lose their jobs, JetBlue Airways is offering a full refund to anyone “who experiecnes involuntary full-time job loss prior to their trip.” This is quite helpful for those who planned a nice vacation before receiving a pink slip for sure (even though that is probably a time where they need a vacation the most).

The JetBlue Promise Program also allows people to be confident in purchasing new tickets, if their job is on the line. Of course there are the normal restrictions (must give 2 weeks notice, your flight must be booked from Feb 1 to June 1 2009, and you must lose your job on Feb 17th or later). All that being said, it is kind of nice an airline helping out someone who might need a nice vacation right about now!

Source: JetBlue.com Image: jetblueflickr

After a three-month effort to try and unionize the pilots of JetBlue, they did not have enough votes and the pilots remain union-less. Only 33% of the pilots voted for the union, where 50% was needed to approve the formation of a union. This might show a positive outlook of the JetBlue [...]]]>

After a three-month effort to try and unionize the pilots of JetBlue, they did not have enough votes and the pilots remain union-less. Only 33% of the pilots voted for the union, where 50% was needed to approve the formation of a union. This might show a positive outlook of the JetBlue pilots that the main cooperation is able to hear and deal with their concerns now and in the future.

JetBlue, being able to remain union less since its inception in 2000 has allowed them to keep costs low and compete better against other airlines who have unions.

Although unions can surely help with securing competitive wages and benefits for employees, it seems that sometimes in the dire situations the airlines are in, they look out for more of their own interests and not the overall big picture of the airlines. If employees feel they can get what they want without having to form a union — that is probably a good thing!

Source: USA Today Image: matt.hintsa

JetBlue says this is a sort of test to see if this avenue is viable for selling tickets to normally empty seats.

Based on the bids so far, it looks [...]]]> With fares up, amenities down, airlines have to get a little creative. JetBlue on Monday started to auction off more than 300 trips on ebay.

JetBlue says this is a sort of test to see if this avenue is viable for selling tickets to normally empty seats.

Based on the bids so far, it looks to be working.

Source: LA Times Image: deritastudio