ShareJet Blue is soon going to use 100 seat jets to offer flights from Long Beach to San Jose, Seattle and Austin, with one way trips as low as $39 (see LA Times article).
The jets will have the typical wide leather seats Jet Blue is famous for with 2 seats on both sides of the aisle. So they should actually be more comfortable than Jet Blue’s larger jets, which have 3 seats on both sides of the aisle.
The current competition for such a trip is (a) a 5 hour car ride costing about $50 in gas or (b) a 7 hour bus ride costing about $40. Let me assure you that those alternatives are far worse. The car ride requires your constant attention (and has a 10% chance of a speeding ticket) and the bus ride is cramped and uncomfortable (with a 10% chance of fearing the guy in the seat in front of you). Flying between smaller airports is in contrast rather pleasant.
If Jet Blue succeeds, they will be flying to more and more cities using 100 seat jets. If they would fly from Burbank to San Jose & San Francisco, that would be particularly magnificent. I can’t wait.
Sounds good while it lasts, however with how fast airlines are bleeding money, I wonder how long this can last for Jet Blue.
Good article.
-Trevor
Borderlinetheory.com
Which is all very well, but not terribly good news for the polar bears…
The airline industry over its history has been a net loser of money. That hasn’t stopped it from being very useful for the rest of us. Of course if it’s really unprofitable no one may provide this type of service.