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Airlines, led by low-cost carrier AirTran Airways, are doing a better job of getting passengers to their destinations on time, with their bags, and with fewer complaints, private researchers who have analyzed federal data on airline performance said this week.

It was the second year in a row that AirTran topped the rankings of the nation’s 15 largest airlines included in the annual report.

Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways also repeated their performance from the previous year, ranking second and third, respectively.

source: Dailymail.co.uk

The head of JetBlue is apologizing for a “‘confluence of events'” that left a plane filled with passengers stranded on the tarmac at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Connecticut, over the weekend.

Chief Operating Officer Rob Maruster said in a video posted on the company’s blog and its YouTube Channel that the airline had six flights divert to Hartford during the freak weekend snowstorm “‘due to various runway, congestion and other operational issues at Newark and JFK Airports'” and that the airline “‘did not deplane those aircraft in our target time allotted’.”

One of those flights, JetBlue 504 from Fort Lauderdale spent nearly eight hours stranded on the tarmac before passengers were allowed to deplane.

source: CNN

US Airways landed at the bottom of the list for overall satisfaction, also receiving the lowest marks for cabin-crew service. The airline was also ranked lowest in 2007, when the last Consumer Reports airline rankings were released.

Southwest Airlines topped the rankings for overall satisfaction, with JetBlue Airways coming in second in the survey of nearly 15,000 passengers.

The pileup of added fees during or after check-in is contributing to many travelers’ decisions to fly less, according to the survey. Of the respondents who said they’ve cut back on flying, 40 percent cited fees as the major reason.

JetBlue has formed a partnership with Virgin Atlantic that will allow customers to fly on both airlines with a single ticket.

Travelers on JetBlue will be able to connect through Boston, New York, Washington to catch flights to London Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic. JetBlue customers connecting in Orlando will be able to fly to London’s Gatwick airport, Manchester, England and Glasgow, Scotland.

JetBlue already has similar partnerships with Dubai’s Emirates Airlines, Irish carrier Aer Lingus, South African Airways and American Airlines.

source: msnbc.com

A JetBlue pilot lost his government-issued handgun after a passenger mistakenly picked up his carry-on luggage, authorities said Friday.

The pilot was waiting for his New York-to-Pittsburgh flight at Kennedy Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger who was traveling with children mistakenly picked up his backpack along with her family’s bags.

TSA is still investigating, noting that pilots are “‘required to follow strict protocols for securing their TSA-issued firearm.'”

source: msnbc.com

For the second year in a row, JetBlue has found a lot of impulsive, adventurous travel lovers to buy a single ticket for a month of unlimited travel.

JetBlue said Thursday it has sold out early of its popular ‘All-You-Can-Jet’ passes a day earlier than expected. Last year, the first year the pass was offered, they sold two days early.

The pass is a chance for the airline to fill empty seats during what is traditionally the slowest time of the year. It’s valid for flights between Sept. 7 and Oct. 6.

source: msnbc.com

A flight attendant is suing JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines, saying a male employee denied her a work-related flight because she wasn’t dressed provocatively enough.

The flight attendant, 37-year-old Karin Keegan of Pittsburgh, works for Delta. The airline has an agreement for JetBlue to ferry Delta flight attendants to job assignments on a standby basis.

Keegan’s lawsuit said a male JetBlue worker wouldn’t let her on a flight in October 2007 because she wasn’t dressed provocatively enough, then allowed other flight attendants with less seniority to board the plane.

JetBlue told the commission it is not liable because Keegan is not an employee. But federal law enables employees to sue over workplace harassment even when they are not directly employed by the alleged harasser.

source: USA Today

US airline JetBlue is selling more than 300 flights and six holiday packages on internet auction site eBay.

The last-minute budget flights have opening bids set between 5 cents and 10 cents.

The flights are to more than 20 mainly US destinations including New York, Boston and southern California. There are also a handful of “‘mystery'” holiday packages to undisclosed locations.

source: Telegraph.co.uk

JetBlue Airways said Monday that it planned to begin charging for pillow and blanket sets on flights of two hours or longer. The $7 sets, which passengers can keep and reuse, include a 10-by-12 inch pillow, a fleece blanket and a $5 coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Buying the sets will be the only option for airline slumberers who do not tote their own; pillows and blankets will no longer be distributed free.

source: NYTimes.com