BOSTON — A summer travel alert: JetBlue is reducing its flight schedule starting next month.
The airline is Logan’s largest, so this will impact a lot of people.
JetBlue is reducing 10 percent of its flights. Overall, the airline flies about 1,000 flights a day nationwide. JetBlue hopes the move will allow them to reset, hire more workers and bring back its service.
But fewer flights have travelers and travel agents bracing for a turbulent summer travel season.
“They’ll be canceling a lot of the flights due to the work shortage,” said Terry Strauss, of Dedham Travel.
Loyal customers say their go to airline is losing its luster.
“Yeah, every time I fly back from New York, we’re getting delayed or flights are getting canceled,” Marissa McDonough said.
McDonough says JetBlue was her favorite airline.
“Typically, we’ve had good experiences with JetBlue, but the last few months have been pretty horrible.”
So, what do travelers do? Strauss says be ready for a possible cancellation if you already have a JetBlue ticket.
“Could be two days before or it could be the day you are at the airport and they don’t have help,” said Strauss. And she adds these tips:
- If you used a travel agent they are responsible to re-book you
- If you booked a flight yourself. You must re-book yourself
- Or you can get a refund – but it may take 30 to 60 days
- So be prepared to pay up for new tickets
Marissa and her husband Quinn loved JetBlue.
“The first with the comfortable seats, TVs, good electronics. And now it seems everybody’s having issues with JetBlue,” said Quinn McDonough, of Medford.
So much so, the couple may take Strauss’s advice and find a new airline.
“So, I definitely think I have to re-evaluate my relationship with JetBlue, but I’m hoping they can bounce back because we have been flying with them for a long time,” said McDonough.
In a statement, JetBlue acknowledged the issue and hopes their strategy works.
“We let our crewmembers and our customers down in April, and we must perform better. The investments we’re making will help reduce delays and cancellations during the busiest travel period.” the company said.
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