JetBlue plans to fly to Europe without sending a plane over the Atlantic

This headline seems nonsensical. However, in the mind of the airline executives and the policy folk at the Department of Transportation (DOT) it makes perfect sense. An airline seat is an airline seat isn’t enough for the industry. They take everything a step further by claiming even airlines don’t matter — Delta is Air France is KLM. And now, plans are afoot to claim JetBlue is South African is Aer Lingus is (you add in the airline).

At the same time airlines are crying crocodile tears about how their seats have been commoditized, they are conjuring up more code-sharing. While the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is rolling out new software rules that will eliminate comparison shopping across airlines (or make it much more difficult) the members of the organization are fixed on misleading consumers by slapping their names on other airlines.
Even more amazing, the airlines are misrepresenting their product with the blessings of our government.
We have all heard the story about when Abraham Lincoln was asked, “If we call a dog’s tail a leg, how many legs would a lamb have? Five?” His answer was, “No, calling a tail a leg don’t make it a leg.”
Well, that was then. In the new modern era, definitions change. Today, if DOT were asked a similar question such as, “If you called a Delta flight an Air France flight what would it be?” DOT would answer, “It doesn’t make any difference.”
Even though the flights are different, run by different airline companies, subject to different national rules, managed by different executives, painted differently, staffed by crews that speak different native languages, taxes differently and maintained by different mechanics, DOT allows each airline to slap their brand on each others flights.
What would seem like a bald-faced lie to Honest Abe and the normal person on the street, is business as usual for the airline industry and our federal watchdogs in Washington.
Now, JetBlue has decided to get into the act. So far, they have participated in one-way code-share partnerships. They allow Aer Lingus, South African Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Japan Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines to put their flight codes on JetBlue flights.
Until now, JetBlue has not claimed any of their foreign partners’ flights as JetBlue flights. But, that appears to be ready to change.

JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) Chief Executive Officer David Barger said the U.S. discount carrier will introduce one or two two-way code-share agreements this year as it expands international ties to feed its route network.
“When you really want to optimize your relationship you need two-way codes,” Barger said.

Photo: ©Paul Lowry Flickr Creative Commons