JetBlue offers flight attendants $1,000 attendance bonuses for spring travel boost

JetBlue Airways It offers flight attendants a $1,000 bonus if they don’t call from work from Friday through the end of May as the carrier tries to ensure enough staff while travel demand surges, according to the company’s letter.

The flight attendants will also receive $100 bonuses for choosing open flights, said the message, which was shared with employees on Friday and seen by CNBC. Part-time flight attendants will receive $500 for meeting attendance purposes.

JetBlue’s latest incentive shows it is willing to pay more money to crews to avoid potentially more costly flight disruptions as travelers return in droves two years into the Covid pandemic.

Staff shortages have hampered airlines over the past year, particularly during peak periods of Covid, such as the widespread Omicron cases that have turned away crews during the year-end holidays. jet blue, unitedAnd American Others turned to bonuses or even triples to ease staffing shortages.

“Spring rewards programs come at a time when every flight makes a difference where business hours are tight and staffing levels are not where they should be,” said Ed Backclure, JetBlue’s head of customer service and programs.

Bachlor urged the flight attendants last month Do not refuse tasks.

JetBlue did not immediately comment but COO Joanna Geraghty told CNBC Wednesday that JetBlue will “continue to moderate in capacity as needed” as the airline industry struggles with staff shortages and rising fuel prices.

The incentive program begins days after the JetBlue surprise, $3.6 billion full cash offer To buy a discount carrier Spirit Airlinesthrowing together Spirit’s $2.9 billion deal to unite with another ultra-low-cost airline Frontier Airlines questionable.

Spirit said late Thursday that it would accept JetBlue’s bid but said its merger agreement is still in place with Frontier.

JetBlue executives told investors this week that the deal would allow it to grow quickly and better compete against the four largest US airlines: deltaunited, Southwest and America. Frontier said the JetBlue-Spirit link would result in higher prices for consumers.