JetBlue to Disable Mint Privacy Doors on Some Airbus A321neo Flights

JetBlue will soon prevent business class passengers flying on eight of its Airbus A321neos from closing their privacy doors on certain aircraft due to strict regulations on cabin crew numbers imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to reports.

“By mid-August, Mint suite and studio doors on our eight A321neo with Mint aircraft will remain open for the duration of the flight in accordance with FAA guidelines,” said the airline in a statement, stressing that this change will “not affect any other Mint aircraft including our A321ceo with Mint and A321 Long Range (LR).”

Privacy doors on business class seats have become an increasingly ubiquitous feature among major airlines, with many premium travelers now expecting the extra peace and quiet these sliding doors provide.

Qatar Airways—recently named the world’s best airline for the eighth time at the annual Skytrax awards—was the first major carrier to introduce privacy doors in its business class cabin, adding the feature to its award-winning QSuites in 2017. This was quickly followed by Delta Air Lines installing similar doors for premium passengers in 2018 on its Delta One suites.

Photo: Courtesy of Rachel Dube

Many of the world’s leading airlines now offer this extra privacy—once reserved only for first-class passengers —to business class passengers, including British Airways, Emirates, and Air France.

JetBlue joined the party in 2021 by launching its revamped Mint product, which has become one of the most highly regarded business class offerings. But now, due to an obscure FAA ruling, the New York-based carrier looks set to ditch its sliding privacy doors from Mint cabins on upcoming transatlantic flights, or at least prevent passengers from being able to use them.

Due to an FAA ruling implemented in March, any aircraft with sliding privacy doors must have an additional flight attendant above the mandated minimum requirement, allegedly for safety reasons. During taxi, takeoff, and landing, privacy doors must be locked securely in the open position, requiring a flight attendant to flip a central switch and then manually check each door is position.

Photo: Mint Classic. Courtesy of JetBlue

Usually, airlines must employ one flight attendant per 50 passengers, so an aircraft with 200 passengers would need at least four flight attendants. However, due to the FAA’s ruling, those with sliding privacy doors will require five.

Since March, JetBlue has had to add an extra flight attendant to the crew for each flight on its Airbus A321neos. Before March, only four flight attendants were needed for its fleet of eight A321neos, which have 160 seats, including 16 Mint business class seats. However, since March, five flight attendants have been required. These planes are used for transatlantic and transcontinental flights.

Photo: Mint Classic. Courtesy of JetBlue

Meanwhile, its A321LR aircraft has 138 seats, including 24 business class suites, so the number of flight attendants went from 3 to 4.

But now, in an attempt to cut costs and comply with FAA regulations, JetBlue is set to return to just four flight attendants for each of its A321 aircraft from mid-August. For Mint passengers, this means that while their privacy door will still be there, they won’t be able to use it.