JetBlue Ad Campaign Highlights The Frustrations Of Flying

How do you feel about paying for checked luggage when you fly? Would you prefer the whole can of soda instead of a cup full of ice and a drop of Coke from the flight attendant? What if these flying frustrations happened not in an airplane, but on the ground?

In a clever new ad campaign, JetBlue explores some of the most aggravating aspects of flying when applied to customers on the ground. For example, this ad where the cab driver tells his passengers that they have to pay an additional $25 for the bag in the trunk:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyEX25bJYBo[/youtube]

The reactions look authentic, so I’m assuming the passengers weren’t in on the joke. Clearly they aren’t too happy with the scenario. JetBlue has other ads which show a lady buying a can of soda from a sidewalk vendor, only he pours it into a little cup full of ice and tells her she can’t have the can. Another takes place in an elevator with the attendant pushing the buttons for all floors and telling the passengers it’s not a “direct” elevator and this is the most cost-effective way to run it, in case others want to get on at other floors.

Yet another is in a cab again, this time with the driver moving his seat back against the passengers legs, simulating the minuscule amount of leg room we get on airplanes. Their message is clear: they understand the frustrations of flying and differentiate themselves from other airlines by addressing these. The tagline to the campaign is:

If you wouldn’t take it on the ground, don’t take it in the air.

The absurdity of the situations and reaction of the people is hilarious to watch. Airfarewatchdog.com has a list of US airlines’ baggage fees in an easy-to-read chart. According to this, Southwest is the only other carrier that doesn’t charge for the first bag (in fact, they allow two free ones). Might be a good idea to check it out before booking your next flight.

[Image: mrkathika / Flickr]

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