Airline Review: I Heart JetBlue

I hate flying. I have, what I consider, a very unnatural fear of being on a plane. It's not a fear of heights; its not a frustration with never-ending security lines at airports or the longing for some decent in-flight peanuts. It's a combination of confined seating, low ceilings, emergency exit instructions, and general discomfort with all things that I have no control over. It goes without saying that it takes a lot to impress me. And jetBlue did.

At the end of January this year, jetBlue Airways began servicing Chicago's O'Hare airport. If the hype was to be believed, this was a low-cost, superb-service airline - a refreshing change for those of us who would hike to Midway to fly Southwest even if we live minutes away from O'Hare. And to give Chicagoans a chance to experience them first hand, jetBlue offered rates so low that I booked my flight to Long Beach, California before I made any other travel arrangements.

Now that I am stuck at the Long Beach airport, terminal 2A, enjoying complimentary snack from jetBlue while my flight is delayed for over two hours due to a snowstorm in Chicago, I can't stop myself from telling you why you must fly jetBlue.

Price. Price. Price. Seriously! With one-way rates starting at $39, and averaging at about $80 (as far as I can gather on their Web site), there is not much else you can say but "I love a bargain!" Just check out their Travel Deals. And booking a trip is super easy: go to jetblue.com or call 1-800-JET-BLUE. And, as you will see in a minute, your experience will not be compromised by the low prices (although I have to mention that, unfortunately for jetBlue, their check-in counter at O'Hare is in the construction area of the airport, which makes the security line almost unbearable - plan accordingly!).

They serve Dunkin' Donuts coffee. And they have a choice of snack. This is a huge plus for me. I am absolutely not a fan of dry fruit or tasteless treats some other airlines pass as snacks. These guys are a real deal. With great coffee (always a treat on those early morning flights), your typical soft drinks, and snacks (like Doritos) that you will recognize, jetBlue doesn't joke around about when they say they "can't stand the thought of serving you regular airline food." Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself.

That TV thing is true. After taking a closer look at my boarding, I noticed it read, "Congratulations! Your seat comes with 36 channels of DIRECTV programming." Well, that's great for the person behind me. The back of every single seat features a mini-TV, accompanied by free headphones, that allows you to watch your favorite cable channels during the flight. You can purchase in-flight movies at $5 per movie. In our case, the DIRECTV encountered some reception problems, so the jetBlue folks let us watch the premium movies for free. Neat!

Oh, my, the legroom. The seats on the airplane are comfy. And there is enough room to recline your seat without finding yourself in the lap of the person behind you. What a wonderful concept. I am happy if my knees are not touching the seat in front of me; I am ecstatic if I have enough room to stretch out my legs. My laptop bag fits under and my two hardcover books fit in the pocket of the seat in front of me. I still don't feel crammed. Yay for some personal space on an airplane. Thanks, jetBlue.

From someone not so inclined to voluntarily get on the plane, I give this airline an E - for exceed expectations - for making my trip from Chicago to Long Beach, and back, a pleasant one (special thanks for the yummy chocolate chip cookies!).