Customer Bill of Rights - Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q:

What is JetBlue’s Customer Bill of Rights?

A:

JetBlue Airways has established an industry-leading Customer Bill of Rights, which spells out the specific compensation that our Customers will receive if they are inconvenienced due to a delay or cancellation that, generally speaking, is within JetBlue's control. JetBlue’s Bill of Rights also compensates for some situations that are outside out of our control, because we value our customers’ time.

Q:

What are some examples of delays or cancellations within JetBlue’s control?

A:

Circumstances within JetBlue’s control are called “Controllable Irregularities.” Some examples include flight delays or cancellations due to mechanical reasons or crew unavailability due to something other than weather or some other Uncontrollable event.

Q:

What kind of compensation can I expect if I experience a Controllable Irregularity on JetBlue?

A:

Compensation is generally determined by the length of time customers are inconvenienced, and ranges from a $25 electronic Voucher per customer to the amount paid by each individual customer for the roundtrip flight. For compensation information based on specific situations, see the Customer Bill of Rights.

Q:

What are some examples of delays or cancellations that are not within JetBlue’s control?

A:

Circumstances outside of JetBlue’s control are called “Uncontrollable Irregularities.” Some examples of Uncontrollable Irregularities include: weather-related delays or cancellations; crew unavailability due to weather; Air Traffic Control-mandated ground delay or ground stop programs; decisions by airport authorities that impact JetBlue’s operations, such as runway closures, construction or maintenance of airport properties.

Q:

Is it possible for an Uncontrollable Irregularity to turn into a Controllable Regularity?

A:

Yes. In the case of weather, which is Uncontrollable, delays or cancellations from which JetBlue should have reasonably recovered may be considered Controllable depending on the severity of the weather. Example: A two-day blizzard hits the Northeast. JetBlue should be able to position aircraft and flight crews for recovery within a reasonable amount of time after the blizzard, provided airports are fully open, and ground equipment is fully available. If these circumstances are favorable and we are still unable to recover, the later days of this situation could be determined to be a Controllable Irregularity and JetBlue would then take responsibility for any delays or cancellations.

Q:

Why does JetBlue differentiate between Controllable and Uncontrollable?

A:

As with any type of travel, there are just certain events like snow storms or other weather-related events that we cannot control. As a result, in determining appropriate compensation, we need to evaluate whether the Irregularity is something that JetBlue could have reasonably controlled or whether it is something that we did not control or could not reasonably foresee. When the event is a Controllable Irregularity, our compensation levels reflect that JetBlue has inconvenienced you, as opposed to something we simply could not have prevented. We want you to know that JetBlue cares for your comfort and safety, and that we are willing to back it up with meaningful compensation.

Q:

What can I expect if I experience an Onboard Ground Delay on JetBlue?

A:

Customers experiencing an Onboard Ground Delay while either waiting to takeoff or to deplane will be provided with access to clean restrooms, food and drink, 36 channels of DIRECTV®*, and, as necessary, medical treatment. Customers who experience an Onboard Ground Delay on Departure for three or more hours will also receive free JetBlue Features® movies during flights over two hours. These movies are in addition to any compensation customers might receive for the delay.

Q:

How can I check if my flight was eligible for compensation?

A:

We have created an easy-to-use tool that allows you to enter your flight information and see if your flight was eligible for compensation and when you should expect to be contacted by JetBlue. Click here to search for your flight's eligibility.

Q:

Under the Information section of the Bill of Rights, it says JetBlue will notify customers about flight delays, cancellations and diversions, but I never received a phone call or email about my delayed flight prior to my arriving at the airport. Where was my notification?

A:

JetBlue communicates information about delayed or canceled flights to our customers just as soon as we have it. We relay this information in many ways, including, when time permits, via Travel/Weather Advisory notifications on jetblue.com; via updates to mobile.jetblue.com for wireless devices; and via phone calls and email messages. Given the nature of delays and some cancellations, there will be times when this information is not available until just prior to the flight’s scheduled departure. In these cases, we will inform customers of the flight delay or cancellation at the airport via our Flight Information Displays Systems, public announcements and through our Crewmembers. We are also in the process of testing our Flight Status Notification Tool, which will allow customers to sign up to receive updated flight status information to their cell phone, email address or PDA. We will alert customers as soon as this tool is available to them.

About Vouchers

Q:

I experienced a delay that I believe qualifies for compensation under the Customer Bill of Rights. How will I know if I will get a Bill of Rights Voucher?

A:

JetBlue will contact customers via email who are entitled to compensation under the Bill of Rights within a few days of their delayed or canceled flight. If JetBlue does not have an email address for you, we will mail to the address of record a confirmation letter that advises you the amount of your Voucher and how to redeem it. Please allow two to three weeks for the letter to arrive. Customers who booked their flight with an online travel agency such as Travelocity or Expedia are asked to please call 1-800-JETBLUE one week or more after to receive their Voucher information (if relevant). At this time we cannot contact Customers who booked with online travel agencies to inform them of their compensation.

JetBlue will issue only one Voucher communication per booking. This communication will be sent to the single email address or mailing address attached to the booking record. This means multiple customers who booked their flight together will receive only one Voucher communication.

Q:

How will I receive my Bill of Rights Voucher?

A:

JetBlue will electronically award Vouchers to customers on canceled or delayed flights that fall under the provisions of the Bill of Rights, and will communicate the issuance of the Vouchers via the email address in a customer’s booking record. If JetBlue does not have an email address for you, we will mail to the address of record a confirmation letter that advises you the amount of your voucher and how to redeem it. Customers who booked their flight with an online travel agency such as Travelocity or Expedia are asked to please call 1-800-JETBLUE one week or more after their flight to receive their Voucher information (if relevant). At this time we cannot contact Customers who booked with online travel agencies to inform them of their compensation.

JetBlue will issue only one Voucher communication per booking. This communication will be sent to the single email address or mailing address attached to the booking record. This means multiple customers who booked their flight together will receive only one Voucher communication.

Q:

What is my Bill of Rights Voucher good for?

A:

Bill of Rights Vouchers provide the receiver with a non-transferable credit in a specified dollar amount valid for travel on JetBlue for one year from date of issuance.

Q:

Do the Bill of Rights Vouchers have an expiration date?

A:

Vouchers must be used (travel booked) within the one year from date off issuance.

Q:

Can I redeem my Bill of Rights Voucher through a travel agency or website other than jetblue.com?

A:

No. Customers applying Vouchers toward the purchase of their travel must purchase directly from JetBlue on jetblue.com or by calling 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583).

Q:

Can I apply my Bill of Rights Voucher to purchases made through jetblue.com?

A:

Yes you can, if you have the Voucher number and code. Customers who received a Voucher communication that did not have this information should first call 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583) in order to obtain the information necessary to book online.

Bill of Rights Compensation for Customers traveling on TrueBlue Awards

Q:

If I’m traveling on a TrueBlue Award and my flight is delayed or canceled, what should I expect under the Bill of Rights?

A:

When a customer is entitled to a Voucher that is tied to a specific dollar amount (e.g. $25, $50, $100), we will award the appropriate amount to the TrueBlue Award customer. When Bill of Rights compensation is tied to the amount the customer paid for a oneway or roundtrip fare, TrueBlue Award customers will be issued Vouchers equal to the lowest available fare for either the oneway or roundtrip for that route, date, and flight, or the specific dollar amount under the Bill of Rights the customer was last entitled to, whichever is greater. In the case of a flight cancellation, we will reinstate the unused portion of a TrueBlue Award if the customer does not elect rebooking. If the customer would otherwise be entitled to a Voucher because cancellation was within four hours due to Controllable Irregularity, we will issue the customer the $50 Voucher good for future travel on JetBlue.

Miscellaneous questions

Q:

How did you determine when Bill of Rights compensation would begin for flights experiencing a Ground Delay on Departure? The Bill of Rights compensation for Ground Delays on Arrivals kicks in much sooner.

A:

When one of our planes arrives at an airport and there is no gate available, we feel that there is really no excuse for this and we take full responsibility. Therefore you see that our compensation for arrival delays begins 60 minutes after the aircraft’s scheduled arrival time. With departures, however, delays once onboard are typically due to Air Traffic Control, weather, or ground delays, which are known as long taxi-out times. At some of our nation's largest airports, such as New York's John F. Kennedy, taxi-out times on a "normal" day can easily approach 60–90 minutes as dozens of aircraft line up for takeoff but are delayed due to Air Traffic Control. This is the reason why our compensation begins after three hours for ground-delay departures.

Q:

Why will you allow a plane to sit on the tarmac for five hours awaiting departure instead of bringing it back to the gate sooner?

A:

Our customers overwhelmingly tell us they just want to get to their destination and are willing to endure a few hours of waiting to takeoff, whether it be in runway traffic or through weather, rather than return to the gate only to have to reboard and get back in line to takeoff. Our pilots and Inflight Crewmembers are instructed to monitor customers’ feelings about the situation, and act accordingly. Please know, a situation with a five-hour ground delay is extremely rare, and we will only undertake the wait if we are quite confident takeoff is imminent and communication with the customers onboard has been clear.