Despite the recent loss of Virgin America, competition in the skies over the U.S. is as fierce as ever.
JetBlue’s founding mission is to “bring humanity back to air travel,” and on Wednesday, May 2, it launched a new interior for its A320 aircraft that it hopes will help it to maintain its lofty pledge.
Marking the first major cabin overhaul of the carrier’s original fleet since the airline launched in 2000, the new design offers plenty of goodies.
First up, passengers will be able to kick back in a comfier seat, which, at 18 inches, is the widest available for the A320. JetBlue is also promising the most leg room in coach of any U.S. airline and adjustable headrests that it describes as “a new feature for JetBlue’s A320s.”
Expanded entertainment choices will be offered via 10.1-inch high-definition seat-back displays that feature picture-in-picture capability. Flyers will find more than 100 TV channels, plus an extensive choice of on-demand movies, TV shows, and games. There’ll also be an “enhanced 3D flight map” so you can track progress to your destination.
NFC pairing will be possible, too, turning personal handheld devices into remotes or gaming controllers, while improved Fly-Fi connectivity will provide coverage to almost the entire JetBlue network.
Passengers will also find at least two “easily accessible” power connections at every seat, and new LED lighting will enhance the look and tone of the in-cabin ambiance.
JetBlue boasted that the new cabin interior creates an environment “that feels more like lounging in your living room than flying at 35,000 feet.”
Certainly, with its focus on comfort, we’re pretty confident JetBlue won’t ever equip its planes with any of the wacky seat designs we’ve been seeing lately, many of which propose squashing us in for short-haul flights.
JetBlue will work steadily over the next nine months to replace its old cabins on 12 aircraft with the new design, with its entire fleet of 130 planes to be fitted out within three years.
The A320 flies to most of JetBlue’s 101 destinations, so with a bit of careful planning when you book your ticket, you should be in for a more comfortable ride.
The first aircraft sporting the new interior took off from Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday, headed for Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport.
