JetBlue CEO's Rationale on Higher Bag Fees: 'We Hate Increasing Fares'
Skift Take
JetBlue took criticism for moving to raise bag fees first. But the airline's CEO, Robin Hayes, made clear that customers who plan in advance will keep getting to pay the old rate.
JetBlue Airways does not often lead on ancillary fees, but with the fuel costs up significantly and the airline unable to recoup all of its increased costs through higher fares, it had no choice except to raise prices for the first checked bag last month, CEO Robin Hayes said in an interview this week in London.
"Fuel prices are up over 33 percent this year," he told Skift at the Aviation Festival, an industry conference. "You end up having to pass those on. We're about low fares. We hate increasing fares. But we had a couple of fare increases, and then we made the decision to increase the bag fee to $30 if you don't buy it in the fare."
It's an important distinction. If and when other airlines match JetBlue's increase — United Airlines did late last month — they will probably add $5 to the price of everyone's checked luggage. But unlike many of its competitors, JetBlue offers passengers a chance at booking to buy a slightly more expensive fare that come with a a free checked bag. Since the price for that fare — called Blue Plus — r
