JetBlue protects its bottom line with baggage fees.
Yesterday, JetBlue announced it would once again raise its baggage fees to counter rising fuel and rising operating costs.
This is the second time in less than a year that the Queens-based airline has increased baggage fees.
In March, JetBlue raised its checked baggage fee up to $9.
Starting Tuesday, JetBlue is once again increasing the first bag screening fee for most economy flights in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, to $50 for off-peak travel (previously $39) and $55 for peak dates (previously $49).
JetBlue told CBS News that the increase “will help us keep our base fares competitive while giving customers the choice to pay for a checked bag only if they need it.”
The airline also encouraged travelers to add checked bags at least 24 hours before departure to activate savings of up to $15 on the first checked bag.
It also pays to be a card member.
Depending on the airline, JetBlue Plus, JetBlue Business, and JetBlue Premier cardholders can check one bag for the cardholder and up to three traveling companions for free.
Additionally, TrueBlue Mosaic members can check at least one bag for free, while Mosaic 2, 3 and 4 members each receive two checked bags for free.
JetBlue is no exception in increasing bag prices.
United Airlines, Delta and Southwest have all increased their checked baggage fees over the past year amid staggering fuel prices.
Jet fuel prices have jumped about 86% since the start of the war in Iran in February. Before the war, prices were around $2.39 per gallon, while currently they are at $4.44 per gallon.
However, experts note that these higher baggage fees could remain in effect even after jet fuel prices drop.
“Airlines are looking for creative ways to improve their bottom lines as jet fuel prices skyrocket, taking their expenses with them. Rising ancillary items like baggage fees could unfortunately be here to stay even after airline costs drop,” Katy Nastro, travel correspondent at Flighty, told the Post.
Earlier this month, JetBlue revealed its partnership with Virgin Voyages to offer adults-only vacations from the airport gate to the shipping port.
The Do Not Disturb package — including round-trip JetBlue flights without children, Virgin Voyages navigation, and exclusive VIP experiences and add-ons throughout the trip — costs $2,750 for two.
In June, JetBlue announced it was ending key operations at Newark and LaGuardia airports and shifting resources to booming South Florida to restore profitability.
The airline will close its flight attendant base in Newark and its technical operating bases there and at LaGuardia as part of a broader effort to cut costs and expand service in Florida.
Earlier this year, JetBlue was sued in a class-action lawsuit claiming it used customers’ personal data to set ticket prices, after its response to a social media post raised concerns that the carrier was using “watch pricing” to make flights more expensive.
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