This summer, JetBlue introduces two new transatlantic flights from New York City: to Paris and to Amsterdam, adding to its already popular New York to London route.
The Amsterdam flight will take off for the first time in late August. Earlier this month, the inaugural Paris flight left JFK with a small celebration at the airport gate, in Queens, that featured plenty of French flags as well as frites, macarons and beignets.
At least when it comes to domestic flights, JetBlue is known for its calvary of snacks. Who knew that substituting pretzels and honey roasted peanuts with Terra Chips and PopCorners could make such a difference? Well, they did, and they continue to do so.
The airline has paid particular attention to the food for its flight to Paris. In Mint, which is JetBlue’s equivalent to Business Class flying with flat back pods, menus have been developed with the downtown New York City restaurant Charlie Bird. The concept is based around small plates. Fliers are given the choice of up to three out of four of them for a meal.
On this particular journey to Paris, selections included farro salad, chilled English pea soup, cavatelli with Sicilian tomato sauce, and a chicken with eggplant caponata. (Breakfast, upon landing, includes the choice of two out of three small plates.) Charlie Bird has also crafted a custom playlist to listen on flight, presumably while you’re eating the meal, but, let’s face it, there are too many good things to watch as part of Jet Blue’s entertainment package. (We caught up on Los Espookys on HBO.)
The food is surprisingly good, much better than typical airline fare. It tasted fresher and properly cooked. The small plates idea offers an element of variety and surprise, even if most meals we eat these days, even on airplanes, are likely comprised of small plates.
The only quibble we have is a minor one. The flight leaves JFK a bit too early (around 5:30pm) for truly getting to experience sleeping on that flat bed.
But even if you left NYC later, you probably wouldn’t want to miss a Jet Blue moment with some shut-eye.
