JetBlue has kicked off its seasonal celebrations early this year, with the opening of a winter wonderland at New York-JFK. The airline is encouraging its passengers to be ‘Early Holiday-ers,’ with discounts on flights and holiday packages over the festive season.
Raising a smile
American low-cost carrier JetBlue has installed a winter wonderland area in Terminal 5 of its base at New York-JFK. In light of what has been a challenging year, the move is an attempt to raise passengers’ spirits. The airline, which is the seventh-largest US carrier by passenger numbers, is also using the beginning of its festivities to launch a seasonal sale.
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As announced in the above video, September 26th saw the opening of the Christmas-themed area of Terminal 5, of which JetBlue is the primary tenant. Following a difficult year in which the coronavirus pandemic has had a drastic impact not just on air travel but on life as a whole, the airline is looking to spread a touch of festive joy among departing passengers.
The video shows a range of reactions from passengers, from confusion to the desired effect of joy. One notable passenger whose attention was caught by the celebratory area was Lieutenant Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. The Democrat politician took to Twitter today to share her admiration for the airline’s Christmas spirit.
Hey @JetBlue at @JFKairport – Just saw this. Truly admire the desire to cheer people up with early winter holiday decorations. But can we just skip right to New Year’s Eve and declare 2020 over? 😉🥂🎉 pic.twitter.com/bMtXojmr2s
— Kathy Hochul (@LtGovHochulNY) September 29, 2020
The initiative is running under the name ‘Be an Early Holiday-er,’ which the airline notes is part of its latest brand platform, ‘We’ve Got A Plane For That.’ This movement “celebrates anything and everything travelers are looking forward to while positioning JetBlue as the solution for getting back to it.”
Discounted festive flights
There is also a business reason for JetBlue’s early festive sales drive. As part of its ‘Be An Early Holiday-er’ initiative, the airline has launched a sale on flights and holiday packages over the festive period. Passengers booking by September 30th and using the promotional code ‘HOLIDAYS’ will be entitled to the following discounts:
- Flights – $50 off per person when traveling between November 19th, 2020 and January 5th, 2021. Valid on non-stop flights booked at the base fare rates with a minimum spend of $125 (excl. taxes & fees) one-way.
- Holiday packages – $300 off when booking flight+hotel packages for dates between November 19th, 2020, and January 5th, 2021. Subject to a minimum of two people per room and a minimum spend of $2,000
Despite the present challenging circumstances for the aviation industry, JetBlue is determined that its passengers see the airline as a safe option for their festive travel plans. JetBlue has a strong commitment to safety, having recently trialed a UV onboard cleaning system. It has also pledged not to unblock middle seats until at least mid-October.
It would be easy to cynically view the festive music and seasonal décor that fills JetBlue’s winter wonderland as little more than a facade for what is ultimately a business-driven initiative. It is true that its seasonal sale lies at the center of the movement. However, as its video observes, we could all use a little extra joy on our travels at the moment. It’s hard to fault the goodwill in that.
What are your experiences flying with JetBlue? Has the airline begun its festive celebrations a little early? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
