One of America’s newest charter airlines is expanding to the West Coast, and bringing the Cirrus Vision Jet with it.
Starting July 26, VeriJet is offering flights across the West Coast and American Southwest in the airline’s furthest venture outside of its home region of the Southeast.
A single flight hour in the Vision Jet is $3,000 plus tax, and VeriJet doesn’t charge reposition rates if the flight is within a 700-mile radius of Santa Maria, California. That means one-way flights on city pairs such as Los Angeles-Las Vegas, Phoenix-San Francisco, and San Diego, California-San Jose, California, will only cost as much as the flight time, with a minimum of one hour.
Founder and CEO Richard Kane told Insider that the geography of the West Coast is perfect for the Vision Jet since the aircraft thrives when flying at the lower altitudes common on the region’s most popular air routes. VeriJet can also use smaller airports such as Santa Monica Airport that are off-limits to larger jets.
The Vision Jet is ideal for single-pilot operations and can fly four adult passengers with a top range of around 1,300 nautical miles, as Insider found on a recent demonstration flight with VeriJet. Low-speed WiFi is available in-flight and Sirius XM Satellite Radio is also available for entertainment.
VeriJet is also launching a jet card program where the hourly rate is discounted to $2,500 per hour when 100 hours of flight time are prepaid for $250,000. Members also have access to a new “jet safari” program of curated itineraries in different regions.
Itineraries include trips to Canada to see Hudson Bay or the polar bears of Manitoba, Caribbean getaways to locales like Virgin Gorda in this British Virgin Islands, and a national park trip that includes sites like Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Yellowstone National Parks. Another opportunity includes a transatlantic crossing as VeriJet repositions its planes to Europe in advance of its debut on the continent.
Kane calls jet cardholders “founders” since they’ll be accompanied by board members on these trips, with whom they could share direct feedback about the company.
“It’s mostly about going out of the way places that you can’t get to on anything but a small turboprop or [a Vision Jet],” Kane said, “and then there’s spending time with the founders of the company so that you can mold it to what you want it to be.”
VeriJet’s Cirrus Vision Jet.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
VeriJet also just completed a redesign of its website, where customers can directly book flights without having to go through a broker. A mobile application is also on the way with VeriJet just waiting on Apply Pay functionality before it takes to the App Store.
Seat-back television screens, complimentary snacks, and low fares were the airline’s norm, and customers loved it.
JetBlue Airways is known for in-flight entertainment.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Behind the now 21-year-old company was David Neeleman, a serial aviation entrepreneur with successful airline startups in three countries.
JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman.
AP
Four airlines later, Neeleman’s latest endeavor is Breeze Airways, an ultra-low-cost carrier looking to fill the gaps left by the nation’s largest airlines. Breeze launched its first flights in May and has been steadily expanding up and down the East Coast and inland as far as San Antonio, Texas.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Despite Neeleman at the wheel, Breeze is nothing like JetBlue. You won’t find seat-back screens or the famous Terra Blues chips on Breeze’s shiny blue planes, but that’s not the point of the airline.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
I took a flight on Breeze Airways and found out why it’s not supposed to be JetBlue 2.0.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Breeze Airways launched in late May with an opening salvo of 39 initial routes from bases in Tampa, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Norfolk, Virginia.
The Breeze Airways route map.
Breeze Airways
Unlike JetBlue, Breeze’s strategy targets underserved cities and primarily creates new air routes where none currently exist.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The very first Breeze flight flew from Tampa to Charleston, for example, on a route that sees limited service by only one other airline. Flying between these two cities solely on JetBlue would require a stop in New York or Boston.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Breeze’s bread and butter, at the moment, are routes that are less than two hours in duration. Convenience is the name of the game and connecting flights are non-existent.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In terms of pricing, Breeze’s introductory fares start at $39 for a basic fare that only includes a ticket to ride and a personal item to carry onboard the plane. It’s comparable to JetBlue’s basic economy fare.
An overview of Breeze Airways’ fare structure.
Thomas Pallini/Insider via Breeze Airways
While not all tickets will be sold for $39, the idea is to keep fares low to stimulate demand.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But Breeze’s low prices come with trade-offs, primarily in the onboard and customer service experience.
Breeze Airways pilots.
Breeze Airways
Breeze, most notably, doesn’t have a phone number. Customers are encouraged to send a message or email the airline but calling isn’t really an option.
Thomas Pallini/Insider via Breeze Airways
The strategy helps keep costs low by reducing Breeze’s overall infrastructure and staffing, which is typical for an ultra-low-cost airline.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Technology also plays a large role with nearly everything able to be done from the airline’s mobile application. Neeleman initially described Breeze as a “high-tech company that just happens to fly airplanes” and this is one way of scaling back on staff levels.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The tech-focused strategy does help keep costs down, which are passed on to the consumer in low airfares, but experts say it might not jive well with less tech-focused customers.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
JetBlue, alternatively, does have a phone number in addition to a messaging feature on its mobile application.
JetBlue passengers checking in luggage.
Chris O’Meara/AP
In another ultra-low-cost trade-off, in-flight entertainment on Breeze is currently only available through mobile device streaming, and the service isn’t yet offered on the Embraer E195 fleet.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In-flight WiFi, another JetBlue staple, also isn’t available on Breeze’s Embraer fleet. That will come when the Airbus A220s arrive but it likely won’t be free, as JetBlue’s is.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But again, that’s part and parcel of flying an ultra-low-cost airline. You get what you pay for.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Breeze is offering snacks for the time being but the airline will move to a buy-on-board program where all snacks and drinks will require a purchase. The current offering includes Utz chips and a Kind bar.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
One thing that was surprisingly similar between the two airlines was Breeze’s choice of aircraft for its first flights. The Embraer E190/E195 family of aircraft was tapped to initially power Breeze’s fleet, with second-hand models coming from Air Canada and Neeleman’s Azul Brazilian Airlines.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Frequent JetBlue flyers will surely recognize the aircraft as the E190 variant powers JetBlue’s short-haul network. The E195 is near identical, albeit slightly longer.
A JetBlue Embraer E190 aircraft.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty
Breeze will soon fly the Airbus A220-300, an aircraft type that just joined the JetBlue fleet in December.
On the inside of the E195, it was hard to tell the difference from JetBlue’s interiors on the aircraft.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Standard legroom seats had nearly the same look as those found on JetBlue. There was one glaring omission, however, in the form of seat-back entertainment screens.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Legroom varies from aircraft to aircraft on Breeze and standard economy seats on the E195 aircraft do match JetBlue’s 32 inches of pitch in economy. That may soon change, however, as Breeze standardizes its seat product.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
E190 aircraft offer 29 inches of pitch in a standard offering for an ultra-low-cost airline.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The seats also had the same feel as a JetBlue Embraer E190 seat. I’ve spent a lot of time flying on that aircraft and if it weren’t for the lack of televisions, I probably couldn’t tell the difference.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But perhaps the most important difference between the two airlines is that Breeze and JetBlue don’t compete on the same routes. Breeze primarily flies to underserved cities and routes such as Oklahoma City-San Antonio; Norfolk-Columbus, Ohio; and Hartford, Connecticut-Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
JetBlue, for its part, primarily operates a hub-and-spoke network with bases in East Coast cities like New York, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Most Breeze customers don’t even have JetBlue as a choice for those routes without connecting somewhere.
JetBlue aircraft in Long Beach.
Reed Saxon/AP
So while the offering might be bare-bones, customers in underserved markets are getting cheap access to non-stop flights, something that JetBlue isn’t currently offering at a widespread level.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
And for many, trading high-tech planes for convenience is a compromise worth making, especially when the price is right.
The inaugural flight of David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways.
A flight crew’s routine trip from Denver to Raleigh, North Carolina and back ended in an overnight stay onboard their plane after diverting to Hayden, Colorado due to “severe weather.”
SkyWest Airlines was operating flight 5332 from Raleigh to Denver on behalf of United Express, the regional brand for United Airlines, on July 17 when the diversion occurred. Flight tracking data from Flightradar 24shows the aircraft making a series of turns and flying in a holding pattern before eventually heading to Hayden by way of Nebraska and Wyoming.
Jessica Taylor, the flight’s captain, described the ordeal on a LinkedIn following the flight.
“This has been a challenging week of flying,” Taylor wrote in a LinkedIn post. “After flying 8+ hours from Den-Rdu-Den (well Hayden after diverting) my crew and had to sleep on the airplane overnight …. Yes that’s right we slept on the floor of the airplane in Hayden.”
SkyWest Airlines flight 5332’s route on July 17.
Thomas Pallini/Insider via Flightradar 24
SkyWest didn’t confirm Taylor’s account but told Insider that hotel accommodations were not available in Hayden.
“Though we worked to make arrangements to get our customers to their destinations that evening, unfortunately the nearby area did not have hotel accommodations available under the circumstances,” SkyWest said in a statement to Insider. “We, along with our partners at United, apologized and United has reached out to customers to provide compensation for the inconvenience.”
Taylor’s aircraft, an Embraer E170 regional jet registered as N613UX, eventually departed for Denver the next afternoon and landed nearly 24 hours after it left Raleigh, according to Flightradar 24 data. Its next scheduled flight from Denver to Idaho Falls, Idaho was also canceled.
The round-trip journey between Denver and Raleigh is scheduled at just over eight hours from takeoff to landing back in Denver, including the layover in Raleigh. In Taylor’s case, the same crew operated both legs of the trip.
For Taylor, the incident was the first time that she had been forced to spend the night on board an airplane due to a lack of accommodations.
“This is a first for me in 15+ years of professionally flying,” Taylor wrote on LinkedIn. “I personally never thought I’d find myself sleeping on the floor of a plane as 38 year old airline captain.”
The Embraer E170 does have a first class cabin with recliner seats but the aircraft isn’t meant for overnight sleeping. United says that first class seats on the aircraft are 24 inches wide with 38 inches of pitch and six inches of recline.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has come out against lifting the federal mask mandate that requires travelers to don face coverings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus when using transportation modes including air, rail, and bus.
“The truth is that the unvaccinated portion that’s out there is extremely vulnerable,” Marty Cetron, director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s division of global migration and quarantine, told Reuters on Thursday.
President Joe Biden first directed agencies to create mask mandates for transportation in January and CDC soon followed up with an order that codified mask mandates on commercial and public transportation into federal law.
The Transportation Security Administration, tasked with protecting the nation’s transportation networks, complemented CDC’s order with its own mandate that covers airports and commercial aircraft, as well as surface transportation networks. Before then, mask mandates were solely a matter of airline policy, and the first airline to require masks for passengers, JetBlue Airways, didn’t do so until late April.
TSA’s mandate took effect on February 2 and has already been extended past its original expiration date of May 11. September 13 is the new scheduled end date but the order can be extended again if the federal government deems it necessary, and Cetron’s comments hint that it might be.
“I get we’re all just over this emotionally but I do think we will succeed together if we realize the virus is the enemy and it’s not your fellow citizen or the person sitting next to you on a plane or a piece of cloth that you have to wear over your face,” Cetron told Reuters, adding that federal agencies are expected to follow CDC’s lead on this issue.
“It is currently unknown as to whether the mask mandate will be extended or kept in place,” Lisa Farbstein, TSA’s spokesperson, told Insider. “What we do know is that the mandate is currently in place until September 13. That gets us through the traditional summer travel season, just past the Labor Day holiday.”
Defiance to the mask mandate has heightened tensions onboard commercial flights as flight crews have been enforcing the policy. Passengers have hurled verbal abuse at flight attendants and interactions have even turned violent, as Insider’s Allana Akhtar reported.
“I’m sure there are some executives and many employees who personally wish the mask mandate would end today, were it not for the threat of the delta variant of the virus, simply to reduce the tensions that exist on aircraft,” Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and cofounder of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider.
More travelers are flying this summer more than at any point during the pandemic. US airports are regularly seeing more than two million daily passengers, according to TSA statistics.
Do you have a story to share about aviation or mask-related incidents on airplanes chain? Email this reporter at tpallini@insider.com.
A woman who disposed of a dirty diaper in a garbage bin on a Mesa Airlines flight claims an attendant told her she had been placed on a no-fly list.
Farah Naz Khan, a doctor from Seattle, told NBC News that she might sue the airline over the incident.
Khan told NBC News that she flew on a Mesa flight from Kalispell, Montana, to Houston, Texas, with her husband and their daughter on Friday.
About halfway through the flight, she changed her daughter’s diaper at a diaper-changing station at the back of the plane, and placed the soiled diaper in a bag and then in a garbage bin, she said.
A flight attendant saw her return to her seat carrying her diaper-wipes container, and asked her whether she had just disposed of a diaper. The attendant said this would be a “biohazard.”
Khan said the flight attendant yelled at her. She asked him whether he wanted her to fish out the used diaper and he said yes, she told NBC News.
She then asked another flight attendant for a garbage bag to put the diaper in, and this second attendant told her she hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place, she said.
Khan told NBC News that she filed a customer-service incident report when the plane landed, but that a few hours later the flight attendant called her on her cellphone – she said she recognized his voice.
“He said, ‘Due to a biohazard incident on the plane today, we’ve placed you on the no-fly list,'” Khan told NBC News.
“This made me very angry, because I suffered the humiliating experience,” she said. She had fished the diaper out and threw it away outside of the plane after it landed, she said.
The attendant used profanities in the phone call, she said. He also called her daughter obnoxious, she said.
“The details as described by our customer do not meet the high standards that Mesa sets for our flight attendants and we are reviewing the matter,” a Mesa spokesperson told NBC News.
Khan told NBC News that she doesn’t think she was actually placed on a no-fly list. She said that as of Monday afternoon, no one else from Mesa had contacted her, but that she got two calls from United Airlines, which contracts Mesa for some regional flights.
United wouldn’t tell her the flight attendant’s identity, how he got her cellphone number, or whether he has been disciplined over the incident, she said. United hadn’t apologized, she said.
Insider asked Mesa Airlines for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday said that some undelivered Boeing 787 Dreamliners had a new manufacturing quality issue, Reuters first reported.
Boeing, the largest US planemaker, will fix the problem before the planes will be delivered, the FAA said.
The issue is “near the nose on certain 787 Dreamliners in the company’s inventory of undelivered airplanes,” The FAA said. The problem was discovered during an inspection of Boeing’s 787 manufacturing, the administration said.
“Although the issue poses no immediate threat to flight safety, Boeing has committed to fix these airplanes before resuming deliveries,” the FAA added.
The air regulators said it “will determine whether similar modifications should be made on 787s already in commercial service” after a review of data.
Boeing declined to comment to Reuters. The airplane firm has around 100 undelivered 787s in inventory.
Boeing suspended deliveries of the 787 in May after the FAA raised concerns about its proposed inspection method. The administration said it was “waiting for additional data from Boeing before determining whether the company’s solution meets safety regulations.”
In September, the FAA said it was investigating manufacturing flaws involving some 787 Dreamliners. Boeing said in August airlines operating its 787 Dreamliners removed eight jets from service because of two separate manufacturing issues.
JetBlue is going to London, UK next month, and powering its transatlantic debut will be a brand-new aircraft to its fleet, the Airbus A321neoLR.
JetBlue Airways’ first Airbus A321neoLR.
The next-generation and “long-range” version of Airbus’ largest single-aisle jet offers JetBlue a 4,000-nautical mile range while also burning less fuel on the overseas journey.
JetBlue Airways’ first Airbus A321neoLR.
JetBlue Airways and Airbus
Passengers accustomed to flying the New York-London route will note that it’s the smallest aircraft to service the busy transatlantic corridor that’s generated billions in revenue for some airlines. But JetBlue is giving the plane a fresh new look compared to its other jets to help bring more travelers across the pond.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ Airbus A321neoLR.
JetBlue Airways and Airbus
Take a look inside the jet that will take JetBlue passengers to London starting in August.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
From the outside, JetBlue’s newest plane looks like any other in the leisure carrier’s fleet. On the inside, however, is a technological marvel jam-packed with passenger-friendly amenities.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Only 138 seats are offered on an aircraft that can normally seat around 200.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Mint business class is also making its transatlantic debut with brand-new seats to boot.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A total of 24 business class seats are angled towards the aisle in what’s known as a herringbone pattern.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
There’s one seat on each side of the aisle in a 1-1 configuration, as opposed to the alternating 2-2, 1-1 configuration on JetBlue’s first-generation Mint planes.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The arrangement is ideal for solo travelers as they offer complete privacy from the rest of the aircraft. JetBlue told Insider that privacy was the greatest request that it received from Mint flyers.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
And to that effect, each seat will have fully closeable doors that block passengers off from the rest of the plane.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
JetBlue is traditionally a leisure airline but is enticing premium customers the most business class seats it has ever offered on a single plane. And it shows, the cabin is so deep that it stretches all the way to the aircraft’s wings.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Each seat offers an abundance of privacy since flyers don’t have to share the row and high walls create a feeling of exclusivity. This seat is referred to as the “Mint Suite.”
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Wireless charging pads are also available in yet another unique touch.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Lighting in the suites is offered through a personal reading lamp and a larger lamp with customizable mood lighting.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A pillow and comforter kit is left on each seat before boarding. JetBlue tasked Tuft & Needle with designing a new comforter complete with a “foot nook” to keep feet warm during the flight.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Vegan leather material was used to create the seat, which is actually a mattress also crafted by Tuft & Needle. Flyers seeking maximum sleeping time can also flick on the “do not disturb” light and flight attendants will know not to bother them or serve them meals.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Standard at each business class seat is a 17-inch entertainment system. One of the features unique to JetBlue is that the screens can be extended during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The in-flight entertainment system can be controlled by touch or by using one of the tethered remotes that also act as game controllers. Device-pairing is also an option so flyers can use their phones as a remote.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In-seat power is offered with 110V AC power outlets and USB charging ports, as well as a hook on which to wrap cords.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Each business class flyer will receive an amenity kit from Wanderfuel with the essentials to survive a long flight.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The other type of seat in Mint is the “Mint Studio,” located in the first row of the cabin.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
There are only two of these seats, both in row one, and JetBlue is selling them at a premium because of the extra space they offer.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The Mint Studio is ideal for those wanting more space or traveling with a companion. There’s more living space and even a cushioned bench for a companion to use.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
JetBlue ran with this idea and even installed another tray table so flyers can work side by side or share a meal.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
There’s even an additional power outlet in the seat.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Other perks of the Mint Studio include a larger 22-inch in-flight entertainment screen.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
There’s also more storage space in the Mint Studio with additional compartments throughout.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A personal storage closet, ideal for a handbag or other small items, is yet another perk of booking the Mint Studio.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The remaining 114 seats house the economy section in a standard 3-3 configuration.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Seats are split between 24 extra-legroom “even more space” seats and 90 “core” seats with standard legroom.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Even more space seats, denoted by their orange headrests, offer 35 inches of legroom.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Seat width in the section is the standard 18.4 for inches that every economy seat has.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
These seats are also among the closest to the front so flyers can get off of the plane sooner than most, while also enjoying early boarding privileges compared to the rest of economy.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Beyond extra legroom and being closer to the front, there’s not much more that these seats offer.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Even more space seats are nearly identical to standard core seats, with both offering adjustable headrests, in-seat power, and seat-back entertainment screens.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But the extra legroom may make a bigger difference to some on the longer eastbound transatlantic crossings.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The first row in economy is actually an exit row seat that isn’t listed as part of JetBlue’s “even more space” product because it doesn’t recline. The legroom, however, is quite generous.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
And with only four rows of seats for the entire plane, there are not many to be had.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The remaining 90 seats are the domain of JetBlue’s core product.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Each seat in this cabin offers 32 inches of pitch and the standard 18.4 inches of width.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Each seat in economy will offer 10.1-inch seat-back screens with JetBlue’s latest entertainment product.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A selection of movies, television shows, games, and a moving map will be available during the flight.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Armrest remotes aren’t being offered by the screens can be controlled by touch or by pairing a device.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In-seat power in economy is available both through 110v AC power outlets and USB charging ports underneath the screens.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Complimentary in-flight WiFi will also be available for all passengers throughout the entire flight, with JetBlue the only carrier on the route to offer it.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Hot meals will be offered in economy, with JetBlue tapping Dig to provide the service. Examples of some main courses are charred chicken and brown rice, meatballs and tomato farro, and spiced eggplant and quinoa.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In the back of the plane, available for economy flyers, is the “pantry.” The self-serve station will have drinks and snacks for passengers to take at their leisure.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
All flyers in economy will receive a blanket but no pillow as part of the initial launch offering.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
All the armrests go up in economy rows so flyers can use the row as a bed if one is entirely free.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
There are some economy seats to be avoided, however, and those are the ones in rows 22 and 23 as the windows are misaligned.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
London’s Heathrow Airport is famous for its approaches that fly right over iconic sites as Canary Warf, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Palace of Westminster. But flyers in those rows won’t get to see them.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Otherwise, there are no truly bad seats in the cabin. One of the last rows in economy is also reserved for the flight crew to rest so fewer flyers will be relegated to what is often regarded as the worst place to sit in economy.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
One Mint seat is also blocked for flight attendants to rest.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Above the cabin, mood lighting will help shape the ambiance in the cabin with a variety of settings depending on the phase of flight.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
At night, for example, relaxing colors will ease flyers to sleep and then gently wake them up.
Flight delays and cancellations can be costly. Hours and even days can be wasted that could lead to unplanned expenses through no fault of a traveler’s.
KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty
I was left high and dry by American Airlines in June when flying home from Bogota, Colombia in June. Two back-to-back flight cancellations extended my trip and left me with no clear way to get home.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
At first, I was faced with an eight-hour delay that quickly turned into an overnight stay. American was going to pay for a hotel but I’d be largely on my own for meals, plus any other expenses I might incur thanks to the extended trip.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
In total, I incurred $127.39 extra expenses incurred from the delay but because of the credit card I used to book the trip, I was reimbursed for all of it. Here’s how my credit card ended up saving my bank account.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel credit card that costs $550 per year but comes with perks like a free $300 in travel credits, complimentary Lyft Pink membership for a year, and built-in travel insurance.
While many credit cards offer some form of travel insurance, not all are equal and some only kick in if the cardholder dies in a plane crash. But the Sapphire Reserve offers three types: trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and travel delay reimbursement.
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As its name suggests, trip cancellation/interruption insurance covers expenses when a trip is “cut short or canceled” due to instances like sickness, severe weather, injury, loss of life, terrorist action, hijacking, and unpostponable jury duty or court subpoena. Chase will cover up to $10,000 per trip, if eligible.
REUTERS/Mike Segar
Baggage delay insurance covers “essential purchases” in the event luggage is lost by an airline, bus company, cruise ship operator, or train company for more than six hours.
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And finally, trip delay insurance covers travelers if a trip is delayed for more than six hours or requires an overnight stay. This is the insurance for which I qualified when American canceled my flight and rescheduled me for a later flight to New York.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
This insurance is pretty comprehensive and will cover meals, lodging, transportation, and additional unreimbursed expenses up to $500. Coverage only applies if the flight was booked using the Sapphire Reserve and I make sure I book every trip using the card for that reason.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The perk will also apply to mileage award tickets, even if only the taxes are paid using the card. If travelers are booking flights with a travel credit, they can also get the coverage by paying as little as $.01 using the card.
Booking an award ticket using a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
I called up Chase while stranded in Colombia to confirm I could use the credit and they gave me the green light. I didn’t need to call Chase but this was my first time using the perk so I wanted to be sure I was using it correctly.
Calling Chase customer service.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
I was ecstatic to have $500 at my disposal because that goes really far in Colombia. But I wasn’t trying to extend my vacation, I wanted out.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
My first plan was to take the 12:15 a.m. flight to New York and so I began my long wait in the airport. I took a walk and started plotting how I could spend $500.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
American, for its part, gave all the passengers on my first canceled flight a meal voucher for around $12. I decided to use that for my first meal and save Chase’s travel insurer some money.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But beyond that, I was hesitant to spend any money because I didn’t want to get into a situation where something wasn’t covered. Again, this was my first time using the perk.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
So, I left Colombia using exactly $0 of the $500 and didn’t spend anything until landing back in the US. After my second flight to New York was canceled, I was routed to Phoenix via Dallas leaving the same night because I was starting a trip to Phoenix and American couldn’t get me home in time for my flight to get there.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
After I landed in Dallas, American had given me a hotel voucher, at my request, so I could have a shower during my four-hour layover. I took a hotel shuttle to the hotel, around five miles from the airport itself, and only planned to shower in the room, then head back to the airport.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The shuttle, however, was hourly, and I only had 20 minutes from the time I got to the hotel to the time it was leaving again. That didn’t include checking in and getting to the room.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
So, I figured, what better time to use the $500. I took my time in the shower and then ordered a Lyft for $19.27, including tip, to get me back to the airport.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Transportation, after all, is covered under the rules of the perk. Of course, I wouldn’t know for sure until I submitted the claim.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
I got to the airport and American, once more, had given me another $12 meal voucher. But it was too early to eat so I only used around $6 of it to buy two water bottles for the flight to Phoenix.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
I landed in Phoenix after a nightmare of a travel experience and asked American if they’d arrange a taxi for me to get to my family’s home. I thought it was a reasonable request being as I arrived a day early and my family members couldn’t pick me up.
Flying home from Bogota, Colombia on American Airlines.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But the airline didn’t think so and I was on my own to arrange an Uber, at peak time, for a total of $107.65 with a tip. Time to file my claim.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
First, I needed proof of the delay being greater than six hours. That was easy as American sent an email telling me that I was rebooked on a later flight after the first flight cancellation.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Next, I needed my expenses. All of my Uber and Lyft receipts were digital, so getting them was just a matter of taking screenshots from their mobile applications.
Uber Grocery app
Uber
Then, I needed a verification letter from American confirming that my flight was delayed due to a covered reason. In my case, a mechanical delay.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Even that was surprisingly easy. American has a request form just for “delay verification requests.”
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
That letter came three days later and I was then able to submit the claim.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
To my surprise, it was approved with no questions asked three days later.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The check did take a while to arrive but I took it straight to the bank.
Using credit card trip insurance.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
And with that, my escape from Colombia was complete. I even got credit card points from the two purchases.
Next-generation aircraft are flying further than ever before and airlines are constantly adjusting their products and offerings to ensure passengers are comfortable.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
The Airbus A350 family of aircraft, for example, flew four of the 10 longest routes in the world before the pandemic. It currently flies the longest flight in the world between New York and Singapore, operated by Singapore Airlines.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
But while flyers are lounging out in plush lie-flat seats to endure the long journeys, flight attendants don’t have that same luxury.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Rather, they don’t even stay in the passenger cabin for their breaks and retreat to a hidden hideaway above their passengers.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Take a look at where flight attendants go when they need to rest onboard this SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A350-900XWB.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The extreme back of the plane is where passengers will find the rear galley. It’s just one of the main workstations for a flight attendant where drinks, food, and other items are kept.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Just opposite the galley, however, is a small set of stairs that appears to lead to nowhere.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A door marked “crew only” with a red no entry symbol hides the compartment above.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Open the door, and the crew rest area reveals itself.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
It’s a narrow space and climbing up and down the stairs takes some getting used to. But long-haul flight attendants have plenty of opportunities to practice as they routinely spend countless hours in the air.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The compartment is completely separate from the passenger cabin so it’s not like the crew can look down on passengers from above.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Once inside, six bunks comprise the crew rest area. There’s not much headspace and some crouching is required to navigate the compartment.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Each bunk has the essentials including a pillow, blanket, and mattress pad so flight attendants can get a good sleep.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But beyond that, they’re quite bare save for a few storage pockets. While passengers below have access to thousands of hours of in-flight entertainment, flight attendants don’t.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
That’s because these areas are meant solely for rest and the bare-bones setup reflects that. Flight attendants can choose to do other things like read books or go on their phones but that’s not the intended purpose.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A personal reading lamp provides the only light in the bunks as otherwise, it gets quite dark in the space.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Flight attendants can close the curtains for privacy and block any ambient light coming from the galley and main entryway.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Seatbelts are installed so resting flight attendants can sleep while safely strapped in during turbulence or any other time the seatbelt sign is on.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Smaller storage areas line the aisle and an emergency exit is available that will see flight attendants pop out from overhead bins in case of trouble.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Hangars are also available for the crew to hang up their uniforms.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The narrow passageways are reminiscent more of a spaceship than an airplane. That said, it would’ve been easier to maneuver had there been no gravity.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Crew rest is mandatory on longer journeys and flight attendants will take turns servicing their cabins while others rest.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Pilots have a separate rest area that’s closer to the cockpit, with this rest area solely for cabin crew.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
The crew rest area is connected to the cabin below via an intercom, allowing flight attendants to keep in communication.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
On some of the longer flights of which aircraft like the Airbus A350 are capable, this can become a second home for hours on end. The flight from New York to Singapore is scheduled at 18 hours and 50 minutes in duration, for example.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
All the while, the average passenger will likely never realize that flight attendants are resting just feet above their heads. It’s one of the closely kept secrets of an airplane.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
But if a flight attendant disappears for a few hours, that’s likely where they’re going.
Touring SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 XWB.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Not all crew rest areas are as secluded, however. On smaller aircraft, a crew rest area can be a single-row in economy, often the very last row.
Retreating to the last row.
Thomas Pallini/Business Insider
JetBlue, for example, is flying to London in August and blocking one of the last rows in economy for its flight attendants to rest on the journeys.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
A Mint business class seat is also reserved for flight attendants to use transatlantic flights.
Inside JetBlue Airways’ new Airbus A321neoLR.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
So while the average traveler may never know if flight attendants dream of flying sheep, they’ll now have a better idea of where they sleep.
Flying Delta Air Lines in first class from Phoenix to Minneapolis.
One company is bridging the price gap between flying first class and flying private and opening up the glitzy side of aviation to those that were traditionally priced out of it.
Set Jet is a membership-based private airline offering seats on a true private jet for as low as $449.95 one-way. Members pay a monthly fee of $99.95 and are given access to flights on 11 year-round routes throughout the American West.
The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company isn’t the first to sell seats on shared private aircraft but its founders say they’ve found a way to make the business model sustainable, and open up private flying to a larger audience. Having the monthly fee also discourages those that truly aren’t able to fly private from signing up, for which companies like JetSmarter were infamous.
How it works
Only Set Jet members can fly on Set Jet aircraft and a limited number of memberships are available in each market so flyers can get a seat when they want. Anyone can sign up for a membership and the only initiation fee is a one-time “security fee” of $99.95.
Members can then initiate or buy seats on flights throughout Set Jet’s network, which covers four states and Mexico. Flyers can book a seat up to 30 minutes before a flight’s scheduled departure time.
Not are routes are operated daily, though, and some as offered as little as twice-weekly. Once a flight is initiated, Set Jet will perform it even if there’s just one person onboard paying that’s paying $449.95.
Set Jet’s flagship jet is the Bombardier Challenger 850 that rivals in size to wide-cabin Gulfstream or Dassault aircraft. The cabin is tall enough for most to stand up in and as many as 19 people can be seated comfortably.
Private terminals are used at all destinations to complete the private jet experience. Security checkpoints are non-existent and flyers can arrive just minutes before the flight’s scheduled departure.
How Set Jet makes money
Set Jet has the heart of a low-cost airline that’s offering an incredibly luxurious product, and its choice of aircraft is the perfect example. Buying parts for Challenger 850s is cheaper because of the aircraft’s second life as an airliner known as the CRJ200.
“If you go to buy a set of brakes for a Challenger 604 and you tell them you’re buying them for a Challenger 604, it’s going to be a $55,000 set of brakes,” Trey Smith, Set Jet’s chief operating officer, told Insider. “You go to buy a set of brakes for a CRJ200 – same brakes, same part, different part number – it’s $5,000.”
Flying on private jet firm Set Jet.
Thomas Pallini/Insider
Thousands of memberships offset the cost per passenger and memberships have skyrocketed during the pandemic. “We did see a lot of new memberships that were from people who normally would never have flown with us but they were looking for alternatives to commercial travel because of COVID,” Smith said.
Smith says that it’s easy for wealthier clients to purchase one and forget about it, attributing to a low attrition rate during the pandemic.
Set Jet is eyeing new markets like the Texas triangle and the Northeast. One route launching in the next year will be between New York and Los Angeles.
A higher membership tier will be required, costing $1,000 per month, and the price of a one-way fare will be $3,500. The Embraer Lineage 1000, the private jet version of the Embraer E190, will fly that route.
