“I just wish the meal service took longer,” said no one on a short eastbound transatlantic flight.
That’s because, on most flights between the East Coast and Europe, the key to beat jet lag is to maximize your sleep. This is especially true if you’re lucky enough to sit at the back of a plane with a flatbed.
While the business class experience gets you a perfectly flat seat, it also usually includes two meals. This is a lot of food, but more importantly, it also wastes a lot of sleep, as these flights only take about seven hours.
So any innovation that makes meal service faster is a win in my book. That’s where JetBlue excels, with an upgrade I’ve never seen before on a flight to Europe.
Specifically, the airline recently launched a wireless ordering feature that allows you to select your meal options directly from the rear seat screen.
This innovation surprised me last week in my life The airline’s first flight to Parisbut it’s probably the biggest improvement I’ve seen to the flow of in-flight service on a short transatlantic flight.
When you’re settling into your seat, the back screen will invite you to place your order. The easy-to-understand ordering system prompts you to choose your dinner and breakfast items, and includes a wealth of detailed information about each dish.
It lists the main ingredients, along with any allergens, and it also shows a picture of what the dish looks like. The system even lets you choose “fast” service for either meal, allowing you to fully customize your dining experience while sitting at the Mint.
As you make your selections, you’ll be asked to confirm your entire meal order before sending it wirelessly to an iPad in the kitchen.
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On opening day in Paris, flight attendants walked through the aisle while boarding to quickly confirm my order and ask what I wanted to drink after take off.
Once in the air, the crew got into action, wasting no time conducting service and preparing meals.
By digitizing the meal ordering process, flight attendants easily shorten the serving process by 10 to 15 minutes — something I’m grateful for when it’s finally time to take a nap.
Interestingly, JetBlue introduced this wireless ordering feature for the first time in economy class on transatlantic flights. Core occupants, as JetBlue calls the coach, can order their custom food from the screen at any time during boarding, taxiing, and takeoff.
The system works similarly to the business class system, except with fewer choices.
For now, JetBlue continues to print menus in its Mint business class. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if it decided to get rid of those and focus on digital ordering, perhaps marketed as a sustainability initiative.
But to fully digitize the ordering experience, I’d love to see three more upgrades from JetBlue.
The first is the ability to order drinks from the screen on the back of the chair. Until then, there is still one point of contact with the crew that can be eliminated.
Second, it would be nice if JetBlue allowed on-demand ordering between meal services. Instead of hitting the call button to flag a flight attendant, it would be nice if you could simply request a drink and snack from the back-seat monitor at any time during the flight.
Finally, I’d love to see the airline introduce a pre-order option, allowing you to pre-order your meal about a week before your flight. This is a service offered by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on many long-haul routes. It helps to set expectations and eliminate waste.
If JetBlue enabled this service, it would be great if your pre-ordered meal would automatically appear on the screen on the back of the chair and ask you to confirm that you are still satisfied with your choice.
Even without these upgrades, JetBlue’s innovation is something I hope other airlines will copy.
Of course, there is a hardware limitation on older planes that don’t have wireless-enabled backrest screens. Still, it’s a nifty new feature that’s sure to save precious time on short red-eyes to Europe.
First of all, I very much appreciate feeling a little more refreshed when I wake up in Paris.
