Jetblue has unveiled details of its all-new Mint business class product which will debut on the carrier’s flights to London from this summer.
There will be 24 private suites with sliding doors, featuring a customised Thompson Aero Vantage Solo seat in a herring-bone configuration, with a 17-inch tilting IFE screen, wireless charging capabilities, an integrated phone ledge “for multitasking”, in-seat power, and laptop, shoe and handbag storage.
The carrier said that the seat would feature “Tuft and Needle’s proprietary T&N Adaptive foam and a breathable cover to create a cool and comfortable sleep experience unlike anything in the sky”.
The brand will also be providing sleep amenities including a convertible blanket with a built-in foot pocket, a memory foam lined pillow with a pillowcase, and a snooze kit with a matching eye mask and earplugs.
Jetblue also confirmed that the front row of the aircraft will be taken up by two Mint Studios, which will offer an extra side table “for added productivity”, a 22-inch tilting IFE screen, and a guest seat which can be used by another passenger when the aircraft is at cruising altitude.
It says that when reclined, the bed in the Mint Studio will be “the largest lie-flat bed of any US carrier” (based on total reclined bed surface area). Indeed the carrier says that “customers will even be able ‘starfish’ in this bed”.
Other design features of the new Mint experience include:
- Residential textures, such as flannel-covered privacy dividers, concrete lampshades, woodgrain table patterns and soft, vegan leather-covered seats and headrests, make customers feel at home in the air.
- Custom-created suite gradient panels bring light into the cabin, while patterned door shrouds with the signature Mint leaf make a bold brand statement in a functional way.
- First-of-its-kind mood lighting enhances the inflight experience, and a welcoming blue floor arc helps direct the customer boarding flow.
The new products will be fitted to Jetblue’s single-aisle A321 LR aircraft which is set to operate the London route.
No details have yet been given on the configuration of the rest of the aircraft – Business Traveller has asked for more information on this and will post any response here.
And there’s still no firm date for the launch of the carrier’s transatlantic flights – in November we reported that Jetblue had secured slots at Gatwick and Stansted airports, but when pressed on this the carrier responded simply that “Jetblue has applied for multiple slots at various London airports and remains committed to launching service in 2021”.
Commenting on the news Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer, Jetblue, said:
“Mint was an idea to make premium travel across the US less stuffy and more affordable, and its performance has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations of going beyond New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
“It’s remarkable how Mint’s thoughtful design has resonated with customers as we successfully grew it to more than 30 routes. We put our heart into this redesign of Mint and were inspired by our original vision of offering customers an exceptional experience at a lower fare – which is what JetBlue is all about.”
Jetblue first launched its premium Mint product on transcontinental flights in 2014. The revamped product is also set to debut on a selected flights between New York and Los Angeles this year, in a 16-seat configuration.
