In JetBlue’s nine year history, the airline has been known for a lot of things. Some clearly good, like DirectTV in flight; some clearly bad, like interminable tarmac delays; and some that on the surface may not matter to travelers at all.
But these latter things can make a huge difference to both travelers and travel arrangers. Especially as far as payment requirements, and the fact that JetBlue tickets are not transferable.
Regarding payment, since their inception, tickets on JetBlue have needed to be paid for either by phone, on the airline’s website, or through a complicated procedure by which a travel agent sends credit card information through the computer.
Most major airlines, however, except for Southwest, allow travel agents to issue electronic tickets through the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC). This organization acts as a central bank that also makes refunds and exchanges simpler.
Also, most airlines that use ARC have interline agreements.These agreements not only allow baggage transfer between carriers, but also ticker transfer when fare rules allow, or when a flight is delayed or canceled.
Now, JetBlue is moving a step closer to the mainstream. This will make life easier both for travel agents and for their clients. Besides simpler refunds and exchanges, unused e-tickets can be traced in the system and record keeping will be much easier.
So while the airline is not saying anything, maybe this is a step on the way to interline agreements. Which would mean that in the event of a future weather mess, JetBlue passengers could be accommodated on another carrier. Or vice versa. For as much bad publicity as JetBlue has received, there are days that their JFK hub is in better shape than other airports.
In addition, sometimes mechanical delays and other issues also result in carriers trying to shift passengers to other airlines. While it’s never a first option, it can be better than paying for hotel rooms and meals, or overbooking later flights.
JetBlue’s change to ARC will be this Saturday, January 30. Besides the easier ticketing and processing, the only other announced change for travel agents and their clients will be the ability to see seat charts for preassigned seats. But stay tuned. The airline whose slogan is “Happy Jetting,” could be becoming a much happier experience all around.
photo by spackletoe/flickr.com/creative commons
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
