Cold crepes and frittatas: JetBlue drops hot meals for economy passengers

ByMarnie Hunter CNNWire logo
Monday, October 7, 2024
ABC7 Chicago 24/7 Stream
ABC7 Chicago 24/7 Stream

JetBlue's economy class passengers will no longer find hot meals on the menu aboard transatlantic flights.

The airline's new menus for its core economy class feature a note: "all items served chilled."

That means chilled overnight oats, crepes and frittatas for breakfast. Lunch and dinner items include chilled soba noodles, a chicken grain bowl and mushrooms and lentils.

Hot meals are still offered to transatlantic passengers flying the airline's premium Mint class.

"After a trial run this summer on our Dublin and Edinburgh seasonal flights, we are extending a new core menu onto our six transatlantic daily flights this fall," JetBlue said in a statement. The airline said the new core menu "lives up to the standard we set for high-quality meals. This change is part of our effort to ensure we can continue to provide a great experience at JetBlue's competitive fares on these routes."

Live and Let's Fly first reported the change, noting a reduction in the number of flight attendants on transatlantic flights.

The cost-cutting comes amid the airline's implementation of its "JetForward" strategy to restore sustained profitability. In the second quarter of 2024, JetBlue reported net income of $25 million.

Last year, JetBlue reported an adjusted loss of $151 million, although that was an improvement from the $260 million it lost in 2022.

The airline recently announced that it will open its first airport lounges starting in late 2025 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The lounges are part of the airline's push to meet demand for premium offerings, which fits into its JetForward initiative.

"Lounges have become an essential offering for the growing numbers of customers seeking premium experiences, and JetBlue's lounges will further boost the value of our TrueBlue loyalty program as we expand our portfolio of JetBlue credit cards," said Marty St. George, president of JetBlue, in a statement.

CNN's Chris Isidore contributed to this report.

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