While many airlines have discontinued or reduced their meetings products, JetBlue is expanding its program, CompanyBlue Meetings, launched earlier this year.
Initially, CompanyBlue Meetings was geared to the corporate market—specifically, planners looking to book flights for at least 15 travelers going to the same destination. Benefits include discounts based on the number tickets booked and travel flexibility—meeting planners can make unlimited name and flight changes with no fees.
Now, according to Chad Meyerson, JetBlue’s manager of group sales, the airline is aiming at the convention market. Under “phase II” of CompanyBlue Meetings, individual travelers using a JetBlue meeting code will receive discounts for booking directly on Jetblue.com or through a Web link sent out by the association or group planning the meeting. The discount will either be a dollar value or a percentage off the lowest available fare. Benefits for planners include free tickets for the group organizing the meeting, based on the total number of flights booked, and the ability to track attendees who book using the meeting code.
Phase II of CompanyBlue Meetings is expected to go into effect in the first quarter of 2008.
From a “revenue standpoint,” Meyerson says, the initial corporate meeting phase of CompanyBlue Meetings “is on track.” However, the best part has been the response from the marketplace. “With so many airlines scaling back their meetings products, we’ve been well received. And we’re going to continue to make a concerted effort to go after this market.”