Just over two years ago, JetBlue started flying the highly anticipated new Mint business class film studio And room.
These direct aisle access groups offer major improvements over the legacy offering, including additional privacy thanks to sliding doors, an upgraded entertainment system, and enhanced connectivity options. business class products, mint studioOffers more space and storage.
These new products will launch domestically on June 1, 2021, either on the airline’s new Airbus A321neo, or a new engine option, of which the airline currently has two in the new Mint configuration.
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The airline also brought new products to me transatlantic routes to London. In addition, it will fly the new Mint-equipped, or long-range, Airbus A321LR during upcoming grand openings. Paris And Amsterdam. (JetBlue has seven A321LRs in its fleet.)
The new products are still a big improvement compared to almost 9 years old fruit still flying on 35 legacy Airbus A321s. However, I’m not sure the rollout went as JetBlue expected.
Just last week, I flew a round-trip Mint flight from New York to Los Angeles. Both flights are operated by registered A321neo aircraft N2105Jexactly the plane I flew on Mint inaugurated almost two years ago.
While the seats are certainly comfortable, I was surprised by all the wear and tear around the seats. Here’s what went wrong.
Friends seat can’t work
On my flight to Los Angeles, I paid $149 to upgrade my Mint ticket to Mint Studio.
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I remember really enjoying my flight in this spacious front row seat two years ago, and I figured the $149 acquisition would be worth it for all the extra rooms and spaces.
Well, one of the main selling points of Mint Studio is that the set is so big it can accommodate two people. I have a friend on a flight, so I would love to dine with them.
Unfortunately, however, I found that the friend seat in Mint Studio didn’t work. It has been fixed in a partially tilted position and it has been for months, according to flyers who recently contacted me on Instagram.
In fact, on my last Mint Studio flight in April 2022, I had the same problem — but the buddy seat had the words “inoperable” taped around.
It’s unclear exactly what the problem is, but I’m really disappointed to see this new product continue to experience such a notable problem.
Room door is broken
JetBlue’s new Mint is probably the most stylish cabin to fly around the US
From the embossed seat panels to the green accents throughout the cabin, JetBlue has clearly paid attention to detail.
While the cabin may look good in the marketing shots, what I experienced last week was completely different. It started with the broken Mint Studio privacy door in the compartment across from me. It is glued around the sides and cannot be used like my walk-in friend’s design.
Luckily, my door worked as promised, but I would be pretty disappointed if I changed my plans to fly the new Mint only to have a broken room door.
Broken seat sign
Throughout the cabin, JetBlue has installed backlit numbers at the entrance to each group.
These green and blue backlit signs give the cabin a nice pop of color, but a closer look at them reveals a bigger problem – they’re all damaged.
I’m not sure if there’s a problem with the material JetBlue chose or the airline just has more clumsy passengers than its competitors, but this seems like something the airline should fix sooner rather than later. .
It certainly doesn’t feel luxurious, and that’s certainly not how I’d be greeted when paying $1,000 or more for a one-way business class ticket.
Peel off the wireless charging pad
One of the big improvements in the new Mint cabin is the introduction of enhanced connectivity options. This includes two universal power outlets with USB-C charging ports, along with a Qi wireless charging pad.
I travel with a lot of technology equipmentso I almost always use all the different power options.
However, on both of my Mint flights, I was disappointed to see the protective plastic peel off from both wireless charging pads.
I tried using them to power the AirPods Pro, but unfortunately I couldn’t get the wireless charger to work. I’m not sure if it’s because of the peeling plastic or something else (my device charges just fine when I get home), but it’s not a pretty product for such a new product.
Worn footrest
Earlier this year, I visited one of the airplane seat factory all around the world. During my visit, the plant’s executives emphasized the importance of ensuring that the materials used on the aircraft are built to withstand the heavy use of hundreds of thousands of passengers. guest.
While JetBlue may not necessarily be to blame, the wear and tear on the footrests in Mint Studio doesn’t leave a positive impression.
The foot cover has peeled off and the gray lining appears to be stained. I’m not sure if this is a manufacturing defect with the materials or JetBlue just picked the wrong color (or a combination of the two), but I was hoping the product would look better after just two years of use.
JetBlue’s response
Before writing this story, I detailed my experience with JetBlue’s communications team, and carrier spokesperson Emily Martin shared the following statement to explain that much of this wear and tear happens with a new product.
After disrupting the airline industry with a premium travel experience at a fraction of the cost in 2014, the Mint was completely refreshed in 2020, setting a new standard for high-flying service. grant. The Mint refresh features fully private suites with sliding doors for every Mint customer, custom seat cushions, and countless other thoughtful and creative design touches for our customers.
Wear and tear is common to any aircraft interior and as Mint’s custom design brings completely new innovations to the market, we hope that the first few years will help us find understand how different elements of the product perform over time. This is the case with launch customers for almost every product. As we gain operational experience with the new Mint configuration, we have a team focused on product performance standards and are working closely with equipment manufacturers to find solutions to these problems. performance issues we encountered.
Customers are giving our refreshed Mint very high satisfaction scores and low fares, our high-quality experiences are making a positive impact both in the transatlantic and transatlantic markets. We are focused on ensuring Mint continues to be a disruptive competitive force in the industry, just as it always has been, and our top priority is to keep the product working to satisfy our customers. .
bottom line
On top of that, I had two great flights in JetBlue’s new Mint product. I appreciate the delicious food and drink options, enjoy personalized service from the many friendly flight attendants, and even love the chance to try new seats again.
That said, throughout my journey, I couldn’t help noticing some issues with the new cabin. From the inoperable buddy chair to the number of broken sets, the product feels like it needs some TLC – which is a bit of a surprise since it was introduced just two years ago.
After the flight, I posted about my experience on Instagram. Many followers have reached out to share similar issues on recent Mint flights. Before contacting the airline’s communications team, I called JetBlue customer care to explain what I was seeing.
The airline resolved all issues and took the initiative to send me a $150 goodwill credit. While I’m not claiming specifically for the credit, I’m currently looking forward to using it on a future Mint flight, so I’m hoping to see all the fixes and improvements that the airline does for its new business class cabin.
