JetBlue taking the buffet line airborne | Strategic thoughts on using social media and public relations in business from Jeff Esposito

JetBlue taking the buffet line airborne

Written on August 13, 2009 by Espo in Marketing

Earlier today, JetBlue announced that they were launching an all-you-can-jet for one price promotion for just $599. While this sounded like a great promotion that would get a lot of press and also drive business to the airline, my boss may have summed it up best by saying that the promotion was a lot like a buffet – most people will take 1-2 trips 3-4 at most, but for the most part the airline would make out.

Lets take a look at a round trip ticket from Los Angeles to Boston, a round-trip is $189 per person (without fees), however with the cost of hotel and rental car, the trip would escalate in price. There is also the whole food issue and time off of work. So if I were able to take that trip, coupled with a weekend trip to Baltimore $88, my total tally for the month would be $277, giving JetBlue a positive interaction of $322, and I am just one person who really doesn’t like to travel.

I am sure that there are some that would abuse the promotion, I am sure that for the most part JetBlue will make out like Bernie Madoff, well maybe not that good, but you get the point. Like my boss had said, its like a buffet, or a casino, where the house always wins.

Do you think that you could beat the norm so to speak?

Devin

This is a PR stunt. I agree with your take, and it is like a buffet. Most people are going to be out 3-4 hundred dollars at least.

But, I’ll offer you an interesting take on it. It drove people to look at the Jetblue site, and compare prices. And then, those people may have look at the 88 dollar flight to Baltimore and decided, hey, I’m gonna do it…

twitter.com/devinkunysz
Devin

This is a PR stunt. I agree with your take, and it is like a buffet. Most people are going to be out 3-4 hundred dollars at least.

But, I’ll offer you an interesting take on it. It drove people to look at the Jetblue site, and compare prices. And then, those people may have look at the 88 dollar flight to Baltimore and decided, hey, I’m gonna do it…

twitter.com/devinkunysz
http://www.jeffesposito.com/ jeffespo

Good call Devin. Hey 88 bucks is still cheaper than Southwest and you don’t have to drive to Providence.
http://www.jeffesposito.com jeffespo

Good call Devin. Hey 88 bucks is still cheaper than Southwest and you don’t have to drive to Providence.
http://realurl.org/twitted.php?id=3286481998 Twitted by jeffespo

[...] This post was Twitted by jeffespo [...]
http://whowhatwherewheny.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/jet-blues-big-deal-and-the-psychology-behind-it/ Jet Blue’s Big Deal (and the psychology behind it) « who what where when Y

[...] traffic to the site (goal No. 1) and then once you realize that they’re offering you an all-you-can travel buffet where your eyes will be larger than your PTO, you start looking at the featured flights. And you [...]