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The idea of free meals on an airplane should make us happy, right? After all, most in-flight food has been reduced to a bag of peanuts and the soft drink of your choice. Some airlines don’t even give you that for free (i know you all haggle to get the entire can), and those that offer full meals are fond of charging upwards of $10.
That said, there is something about JetBlue’s new free breakfast giveaway that rubs me the wrong way. The carrier has teamed up with Kraft, and together they will be serving 500,000 free breakfasts to JetBlue passengers. However, as with most things on the airlines these days, there is a catch…
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The great breakfast giveaway isn’t a bold customer service move on JetBlue’s part, and it’s not even really a PR move. It’s a way for them to team up with a major food company and turn their passengers into product testers.
As reported on Marketplace (via The Consumerist), the free meals will feature Kraft’s new Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, and Kraft hopes they can win some folks over to the new Lite and flavorful condiment. They hope to get a response from the passengers who, in all honesty, probably don’t have anything better to do while in the air.
Maybe I’m just being cynical. Maybe I should just be happy to get a free bagel, but the whole thing still seems a little odd to me. Tell me what you think. Take the free meal with a smile on your face, or refuse to help Kraft cash in on a captive audience?
I am already forced to watch commercials before my $9 theater movie — wait 10 minutes before I can hit play on the DVD i just bought — are these really good ideas — and yes i know I don’t have too buy those products, but what fun would that be …
If I were hungry enough I might try it but basically I do not like lousy bagels and fake cream cheese. But what the heck – would have to be better than too salty pretzels or peanuts. Will there be a cup of freeze dried coffee with it and fake orange juice too?
As a somewhat regular poster, I know we’ve disagreed before. The part i disagree with is when you suggest that it’s “not even really a PR move.”
It might not be for Jetblue, but it definitely is for Kraft. My guess is that JatBlue is getting some $$$ for this Kraft PR initiative.
Oh c’mon… Will they make people sit through a 5-minute “mockumentary” on how their cream cheese is the best, or will they just invite you to eat it? Heck, today, when you buy a bagel, or a hot dog, or almost any fast food or deli item, the condiment packages are emblazoned with brand names and more. And now, even barf bags are starting to carry ads.
Sorry, Rick, I think airline execs are only slightly better than child molesters, and I’d sooner have root canal than defend them. But what’s the big deal over a free bagel’n'cheese, even if it’s advertising?
(Oh, BTW, Philly’s 1/3 Less Fat “Lite” cream cheese has been around for years. Nothing new about it except maybe the wrapper. And no, I don’t work for them. )
If you don’t want your bagel, can I have it (please)? I’m hungry.
It’s a win win win…JetBlue looks like the hero offering free food, Kraft boosts their lite product sales and the passenger gets free food. What is the problem here?
It’s free food. Most people will be thrilled. If it rubs you the wrong way, you don’t have to eat it!
I think its a pretty good idea. Free food is free food. And 1/3 less fat? Hell, I love philly cream cheese whether it be lowfat, 1/3 fat, whatever!
I’m not sure why another commenter called it fake. I’d like to address that. How is it fake? They just use less fat-containing products in the processing of the cream cheese. Nothing fake about it. Quite tasty actually.
I’m all for this! I prefer to fly other airlines if I have to fly to JFK for the price (ie: the slightly cheaper Virgin America), but if there were more free food (aside from just the blue chips and the cookies and whatnot) on a JetBlue flight, I’d be very happy.