Jet Blue Now Charging for Pillows and Blankets
JetBlue announded today that they are now charging customers for pillows and blankets.
Jet Blue havw done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and are now 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.
Jet Blue claims that 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.
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, but last month the airline said 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 expected to produce about $50 million in extra revenue in 2008.