In light of the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, JetBlue has just announced that they will be lifting all change and cancellation fees for:
- All new flight bookings made between 27th February 2020 and 11th March 2020
- For travel through 1st June 2020.
Note that this waiver will also covers all fares, including the most restrictive Blue Basic fares, and flights booked under JetBlue Vacations.
Refunds
Instead of cash reimbursement, passengers who want to cancel their flights will receive a travel credit that reflects the full value of their ticket. This travel credit may be used for future JetBlue flights, valid for one year from the date of issuance.
Should passengers choose to change their flights, the full value of their original tickets may be applied to the new itineraries. Although the change fee will be waived, passenger will still have to absorb any fare difference.
Reason For The Waiver – As Explained By JetBlue
In explaining the changes, Joanna Geraghty, the President and COO of JetBlue, said that the airline “wants to give 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.
Joanna Geraghty, the President and COO of JetBlue.
While we welcome this waiver, one can’t help but question if this is a humanitarian act, a smart marketing tactic or both; since the waivers apply for prospective tickets, and not retrospectively. Either way, JetBlue has done a good job and certainly bought our hearts.
This sounds good, but it is actually not true. All over the jetBlue website it says there are no cancellation fees. So I bought three tickets for my family. Then we canceled and re-booked on a different jetBlue flight on different days. Before I clicked “confirm cancellation” it listed the exact amount that I would receive back. It was a lie. I received $100 less than that amount, and when I contacted customer service, they said the country I was flying from was going to withhold that amount for taxes. Even if that is true, jetBlue did not disclose that in any way, and in fact specified the exact amount I was to receive before I cancelled — bait and switch! Totally frustrating to be hoodwinked by the company I’ve flown with for over a decade and have flown millions of miles. Buyer beware.
My husband ( diabetic, ckd, age 87 ) and I ( age 82, emphysema ) are booked MIA/POS on March 17, 2020. . We booked our fights in 2019 . A family member will celebrate her 100th birthday.
We have decided we will not travel due to COVID 19.
ARE WE SUBJECT TO A CANCELLATION PENALTY?
Dear Joan,
Wavier is for prospective booking (after the indicated dates as mentioned in the post). However, you should try to contact JetBlue to enquire on this. They may offer a courtesy waiver. You may not get it if you dont try it, but you will not get it if you dun ask it.
Love the love from JetBlue (and of course for how they single handedly cut the price in a third for lie flat business class) but…Southwest does this all the time (not only in times of uncertainty). Maybe they should just stick with it.