JetBlue has revealed the all-new cabin design for its Airbus A220-300 fleet. The A220, the first of 70 A220s JetBlue has on order, was delivered to the airline’s home at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5 in New York on 31 December, with its interior revealed for the first time today.
The aircraft is fitted with the Collins Meridian economy class seat, with customisations designed in response to customer feedback. In a first for the airline’s fleet, seating is arranged in a 2-3 configuration, giving multiple seating options for those travelling as a couple or a family.
The 140 seats have an expanded width of 18.6in, the widest available for a single-aisle aircraft according to JetBlue, and the widest economy class seats in its fleet. The contoured seatback design at knee level adds to the feeling of space by creating additional living space for every customer.
JetBlue specified enhanced cushion comfort and adjustable headrests for the seats, along with a premium Ultraleather trim, a lightweight, soft and breathable leather-like material. A custom-designed seatback storage area has also been fitted, with mesh pockets, perfectly sized for water bottles and loose items, as well as easy-to-reach in-seat power, featuring AC, USB-A and USB-C ports. For customers wishing a little extra legroom, there are also six rows of Even More Space seating.
The design team has customised other parts of the cabin, including front galley partitions that increase customer privacy near the crew workspace area, and subway tile patterns for the lavatories featuring as a nod to being New York’s ‘hometown airline’, with gender-neutral signage unique to JetBlue. Custom front and rear wall panel patterns have also been created, incorporating dots and dashes from Morse code that spell out ‘something fun’ (we’ll have to find out what). Also, a custom LED mood lighting programme has been designed to provide a more soothing inflight experience, with lighting scenarios that change with time of day or phase of flight.
“With the A220 we’ve taken a state-of-the-art aircraft and added our award-winning touch to bring to life an experience only JetBlue could dream up,” said Jayne O’Brien, JetBlue’s head of marketing and loyalty. “We look forward to welcoming customers onboard our newest aircraft, with incredible onboard comfort, one-of-a-kind design elements and unparalleled entertainment and connectivity.”
Connectivity
JetBlue’s A220 fleet will feature Thales AVANT IFE with 10.1in, 1080P HD seatback displays and ViaSat-2 connectivity. JetBlue is the first airline to receive an A220 with Viasat connectivity and only US carrier with free high-speed connectivity (named Fly-Fi) on every aircraft, enabling flyers to connect an unlimited number of devices and stream, surf or chat, from gate to gate. Customers can access 30 channels of DIRECTV with DVR-like pause and rewind functionality, full seasons of shows, hundreds of movies, premium content from HBO & Showtime, and even a picture-in-picture function and 3D flight map.
Florida first
As well as efficient operating costs, the A220 can offer favourable economics on short, medium and even potentially transcontinental markets, which could open the door to new markets and routes that would have been unprofitable with JetBlue’s existing fleet. Initially the A220 will begin flying this spring before entering scheduled service by mid-June on JetBlue’s Boston to Fort Lauderdale route. New cities, routes and markets will be evaluated in the future as more A220s join the JetBlue fleet.
