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NEW YORK -- JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets.

The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=6305298

Great! Now, along with our overstuffed carry-on bags and our food and drink, we can start lugging pillows and blankets around with us!

I am pleased to report that yesterday I bought a round-trip ticket to Denver on Southwest for just over half what I've been paying on United. (For previous flights, there were no OKC to Denver direct flights, and a 1-1/2 hour trip could take up to 12 hours on Southwest.)

On the Southwest web site, they proudlly mentioned that they have no additional charge for the first checked bag, or even the second. They also still plan to give me my little bag of pretzels and/or peanuts, which is more than United managed to muster.

I have been bringing my own blankets and pillow on any trip over an hour for the last several years. After I got a stained blanket on more than one flight I realized they're often used and dirty and I was sufficiently skeeved out. Trust me, you're better off with your own!!!

(Jet Blue fliers: please feel free to mail me your unwanted Bed Bath & Beyond coupons! Although I might have to fight Fanny for them! )

Bob Juch wrote:NEW YORK -- JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets...

I'm flying on JetBlue in September. I wonder if I get to keep the blanket and pillow should I spring for the $7.

Another new revenue enhancement that JetBlue has just slipped in is a $30 surcharge for a seat with 4" more legroom. I think of it as extortion from tall people.

Will the madness ever stop? What's next--charging us to use the head?

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:Will the madness ever stop? What's next--charging us to use the head?

No they wouldn't do that, because then they'd actually have to keep it clean and operational!

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:Will the madness ever stop? What's next--charging us to use the head?

"In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from the panel above your head after you have swiped a major credit card through the scanner in your arm rest."

I've been bringing my own blanket on planes for several years now. I have one that folds up and zips neatly into a square and even has a carrying handle. Those little thin, dinky things they handed out weren't worth a flip.

It doesn't get much lower than this. Again, of the majors/near majors, I think Blue is the next to go.

Bob Juch wrote:NEW YORK -- JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets.

The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=6305298

And don't forget to tip the staff on your way out.

I actually do feel a little bad for flight attendants...they serve people and don't get tipped like other service staff do. It's not their fault the airlines cut back either. I guess I just feel awful after I learned 6 months ago that they don't get paid for any of the time they work during boarding and de-planing (which is arguably the most challenging portion of any flight)...I had no idea so I have a new appreciation for what they go through.

I flew for the first time tonight in two years. I flew USAir to Alabama. I was charged $2.00 for a can of soda though. I was in shock for a minute, but then I remembered the airlines are going to nickel and dime me for everything now.

The best course of action is just to bring your own. I like to have my own drinks anyway, so that I can secure them better (I buy bottles so that I can throw it in the seat or seat back and not have to drink it right away). Plus then you don't have to wait until 45 minutes in to have a drink. Yes, it was nice when we got it for free, but half a can of soda and .05 oz of peanuts never did much for me anyway. I like to be prepared and always stock up on snacks before leaving and on drinks in the airport newstand.

15QuestionsAway wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:NEW YORK -- JetBlue Airways Corp. said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets...

I'm flying on JetBlue in September. I wonder if I get to keep the blanket and pillow should I spring for the $7.

Another new revenue enhancement that JetBlue has just slipped in is a $30 surcharge for a seat with 4" more legroom. I think of it as extortion from tall people.

The report I heard said you get to keep them.

sunflower wrote:The best course of action is just to bring your own. I like to have my own drinks anyway, so that I can secure them better (I buy bottles so that I can throw it in the seat or seat back and not have to drink it right away). Plus then you don't have to wait until 45 minutes in to have a drink. Yes, it was nice when we got it for free, but half a can of soda and .05 oz of peanuts never did much for me anyway. I like to be prepared and always stock up on snacks before leaving and on drinks in the airport newstand.

Food is possible and I typically bring my own but unless you have fool proof way of smuggling beverages through security that is a no go. Because you are still going to pay a ridiculous price to buy something in the concourse. Less than on the plane? Perhaps, although that is questionable, but still overpriced.

Personally I think the concessionaires are in cahoots with TSA...

I now carry an empty bottle with me and then I fill it from the water fountain once through security and before boarding (OK, so in addition to getting thirsty I am cheap as well...). Unfortunately this can be a bit dicey in some of the more out of the way international destinations I manage to find myself in since you can't count on water from the public water fountain, presuming you can find one at all.

Sometimes I have to fight for the ability just to carry my empty bottle through security. Japan for some reason was the worst about this in recent memory. After much arguing and broad hand gestures I did manage to win that battle without causing too much of an international incident...

I hate not having anything at hand and being dependent on if and when cabin service occurs, especially as I typically fly steerage these days. Oh for the glory days of my long past youth when as a dependent of an airline employee I flew first class everywhere for the price of wearing a coat and tie.

"In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from the panel above your head after you have swiped a major credit card through the scanner in your arm rest."

This is hilarious!

I will totally steal this.

Who needs pillows and blankets? I prefer to Travel with a friend!

tanstaafl2 wrote:Sometimes I have to fight for the ability just to carry my empty bottle through security.

Do you have any idea what terrorists might do with an empty water bottle!?

kayrharris wrote:I've been bringing my own blanket on planes for several years now. I have one that folds up and zips neatly into a square and even has a carrying handle. Those little thin, dinky things they handed out weren't worth a flip.

I just bring a small quilting project to work on during the flight. If I get cold, I lap quilt!



christie who has several tricks to travelling with sewing projects.....

christie1111 wrote:

kayrharris wrote:I've been bringing my own blanket on planes for several years now. I have one that folds up and zips neatly into a square and even has a carrying handle. Those little thin, dinky things they handed out weren't worth a flip.

I just bring a small quilting project to work on during the flight. If I get cold, I lap quilt!



christie who has several tricks to travelling with sewing projects.....

Do you have any idea what terrorists might do with a sewing needle?

Bob Juch wrote:

christie1111 wrote:

kayrharris wrote:I've been bringing my own blanket on planes for several years now. I have one that folds up and zips neatly into a square and even has a carrying handle. Those little thin, dinky things they handed out weren't worth a flip.

I just bring a small quilting project to work on during the flight. If I get cold, I lap quilt!



christie who has several tricks to travelling with sewing projects.....

Do you have any idea what terrorists might do with a sewing needle?

Sewing needles are obviously not a weapon, but a tube of lip gloss not in a clear one quart ziploc bag is a huge threat. And don't even get me started on metal tweezers.........

Bob Juch wrote:

christie1111 wrote:

kayrharris wrote:I've been bringing my own blanket on planes for several years now. I have one that folds up and zips neatly into a square and even has a carrying handle. Those little thin, dinky things they handed out weren't worth a flip.

I just bring a small quilting project to work on during the flight. If I get cold, I lap quilt!



christie who has several tricks to travelling with sewing projects.....

Do you have any idea what terrorists might do with a sewing needle?

If I am worried about scissors getting confiscated, I take a dental floss container with me instead. I don't think anyone has been threatened with a dentla floss container before.

I also have a pendanty thing that is designed as a thread cutter, but I like it too much to risk taking with me.

sunflower wrote:
And don't even get me started on metal tweezers.........

The authorities must remain vigilant against threat of flight crew and passenger depilation!

tanstaafl2 wrote:

sunflower wrote:The best course of action is just to bring your own. I like to have my own drinks anyway, so that I can secure them better (I buy bottles so that I can throw it in the seat or seat back and not have to drink it right away). Plus then you don't have to wait until 45 minutes in to have a drink. Yes, it was nice when we got it for free, but half a can of soda and .05 oz of peanuts never did much for me anyway. I like to be prepared and always stock up on snacks before leaving and on drinks in the airport newstand.

Food is possible and I typically bring my own but unless you have fool proof way of smuggling beverages through security that is a no go. Because you are still going to pay a ridiculous price to buy something in the concourse. Less than on the plane? Perhaps, although that is questionable, but still overpriced.

Personally I think the concessionaires are in cahoots with TSA...

I now carry an empty bottle with me and then I fill it from the water fountain once through security and before boarding (OK, so in addition to getting thirsty I am cheap as well...). Unfortunately this can be a bit dicey in some of the more out of the way international destinations I manage to find myself in since you can't count on water from the public water fountain, presuming you can find one at all.

Sometimes I have to fight for the ability just to carry my empty bottle through security. Japan for some reason was the worst about this in recent memory. After much arguing and broad hand gestures I did manage to win that battle without causing too much of an international incident...

I hate not having anything at hand and being dependent on if and when cabin service occurs, especially as I typically fly steerage these days. Oh for the glory days of my long past youth when as a dependent of an airline employee I flew first class everywhere for the price of wearing a coat and tie.

Just use the ziplock bag your shampoo was in plus a straw for your water. Sheesh.