JetBlue Pilots New Flight Delay Program for Mosaic Members, Plus More Changes

JetBlue is piloting a new program for its Mosaic members who are on delayed flights. If a flight has a posted delay of two or more hours, JetBlue will give the Mosaic member (and anyone else on the same itinerary) a meal voucher and complimentary Even More Space seats.

Free Meals and Extra Legroom Seats

As a Mosaic member myself, I received an email with the news the night before a flight I was scheduled to take. The details were slim, but I was glad that JetBlue had my back in case of a flight delay. With JetBlue's high rates of delays (and cancellations), this program may be useful for more members than one might expect.

According to blogger and TPG contributor Seth Miller, the program is a trial that will end around Labor Day with the possibility of getting extended based on feedback. He also notes that this program applies regardless of the nature of the delay.

The program is in addition to the JetBlue Bill of Rights, which give passengers varying amounts of compensation when flights are delayed by 3+ hours (weather and other uncontrollable events excluded).

The email didn't specify the details of the meal voucher that you'd receive, other than saying that the vouchers are subject to availability.

While complimentary Even More Space seats sound good in theory, most flights these days are going out full, with many passengers pre-assigning these extra legroom seats. Mosaic passengers can also use their TrueBlue points for these seats at fantastic rates (often 10+ cents per point value), so it may not make sense to wait for a flight delay to secure your Even More Space seat.

Changes to Multi-Passenger Bookings

In other news, JetBlue has seemingly changed its policy for flight changes when a Mosaic member is traveling with other passengers. In the past, if a Mosaic member were to only cancel his or her ticket (and leave the remaining travelers on the same itinerary), any previous flight changes or Even More Space seats would remain for the other passengers.

Through multiple tests, JetBlue is now retroactively charging any applicable change fees (same-day change fee included), as well as Even More Space seat fees when a Mosaic member cancels only their reservation and keeps the other passengers on the same record.

Bottom line

Kudos to JetBlue for taking care of their elite members during flight delays. While the promise of free extra legroom seating may not come true based on standby availability, at least you'll still get a free meal. After all, who doesn't want a free meal?

The changes to multi-passenger bookings certainly sting, and you'll definitely want to be aware of this if you're traveling with a Mosaic member who often changes their plans.

Featured Photo by Alberto Riva/The Points Guy