JetBlue fights discounters with no-frill option in fare overhaul

JetBlue Airways, bowing to rising competitive pressures, began offering a no-frills option in the first revamp of its fare categories since they were introduced in 2015. Customers buying a reduced Blue Basic fare won’t get a refund if they have to cancel, can’t make changes to the reservation and will have to board last -- standards that match other airlines for the category. There are no extra fees for a carry-on bag and one personal item. JetBlue is feeling pressure from ultra-discounters as well as from larger carriers that adopted the reduced, no-extras basic fares several years ago to keep from losing customers to less-expensive rivals. “Over the last few years, it’s become very clear this no-frills basic economy segment has become a larger and larger set of customers,” VP Sales Dave Clark said. <br/>