JetBlue Teams Up with Uber to Offer Free Rides for Delayed Passengers

JetBlue has teamed up with Uber to offer free cab rides to passengers who experience delays or cancellations.

JetBlue will partner with Uber for Business to provide transportation vouchers through the ride-hailing app. However, customers must meet certain requirements to qualify for the free rides.

Photo: Courtesy of JetBlue

The initiative is currently only available on domestic operations, and it applies to passengers who have been delayed for a minimum of three hours due to reasons that are within JetBlue’s control. Moreover, JetBlue should not be able to arrange an alternative flight for the affected passenger until the following day.

JetBlue will provide Uber vouchers to and from a nearby hotel if both scenarios pass.

JetBlue plans to expand the program to its international schedule in the coming months, starting with its London, Paris, and Amsterdam routes before extending to South America and the Caribbean.

“We always work to give our customers a great onboard experience and get them to their destination safely and on time,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and COO at JetBlue. “Sometimes travel doesn’t go as planned, and flights can get delayed or canceled. In those cases, when the disruption is due to something in our control, our partnership with Uber for Business will make options for our customers more seamless.”

Photo: Courtesy of PANYNJ

Travelers can easily access their Uber voucher via email or text, so there is no need to worry about a drawn-out reimbursement process. Upon clicking the Uber link within the email or text, passengers will see the voucher automatically applied to their account.

Passengers who don’t already have an Uber account will have to download the app first and create one before being able to access the voucher.

“Airlines are starting to think more carefully about what the 360-degree travel experience looks like for their passengers, especially when things don’t go as planned,” Susan Anderson, global head of Uber for Business told Travel and Leisure. “There’s a synergy between Uber’s seamless offering and the type of thoughtful customer service that airlines are looking to prioritize.”

The new scheme comes against the backdrop of staffing shortages that have plagued the global air industry in recent years, with increased queues, flight disruptions, and cancellations becoming increasingly commonplace worldwide.

Photo: Courtesy JetBlue

JetBlue joins competitors in enhancing its customer service experience in the face of rising delays. United Airlines recently upgraded its app to allow customers to automatically rebook if their flight is delayed or canceled, request meal vouchers, and arrange ground transportation to nearby hotels.

“The customer experience is at the heart of any airline,” said Anderson. “That experience may start with the booking process and the perks available to a passenger on a flight, but it also extends to baggage policies, fairness in loyalty programs, and how the airline deals with disruptions.”