Lawsuit Accuses JetBlue Of Using Flyers’ Personal Data To Set Ticket Prices
The social media banter caught the attention of elected officials who sent a letter to JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty demanding information on “how JetBlue is defining personal data and whether personal data is used in any capacity to inform prices.”
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Airline JetBlue is facing a new lawsuit after being accused of tracking flyers’ personal data as a way to set ticket prices, NBC News reported.
In a lawsuit filed late April in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the Queens-based airline has been accused of offering different fares to different customers based on certain factors such as internet history and other demographic information. The suit comes from Andrew Phillips, a NYC native, who claims he was “entirely unaware that he was being tracked for the purpose of setting pricing” after booking a December 2025 flight with JetBlue.
He also alleges in the complaint that JetBlue failed to inform him that his private information was being monitored or sold to third parties.
“It allows the defendant to manipulate prices in real time in order to make as much money as they can on fares for airline tickets, which are priced differently for consumers based on their private information, which they did not consent to surrender for this purpose,” the complaint states, in reference to the alleged practice.
The carrier denied using personal information or web browsing history to set individual pricing, a practice known as “dynamic surveillance pricing,” according to The Hill. “JetBlue does not use personal information or web browsing history to set individual pricing,” the airline said in the statement.
“Fares are determined by demand and seat availability, and all customers have access to the same fares on jetblue.com and our mobile app.”
However, Phillips said he has proof that the company used “cookie-collected data.”
“I love flying @JetBlue but a $230 increase on a ticket after one day is crazy,” he wrote on X. “I’m just trying to make it to a funeral.”
In a now-deleted response, JetBlue said, “Try clearing your cache and cookies or booking with an incognito window.”
“We’re sorry for your loss,” the airline continued.
Phillips is accusing the airline of violating New York consumer protection laws and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act while seeking to expand his lawsuit into a class-action suit and receive unspecified damages. “Consumers should not have to have their privacy rights violated to participate in Defendant’s digital rat race for airline tickets, which should cost the same for each similarly seated passenger,” the lawsuit states.
The social media banter caught the attention of elected officials such as Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). The Democratic leaders sent a letter to JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty demanding information on “how JetBlue is defining personal data and whether personal data is used in any capacity to inform prices,” expressing concern.
“We are especially concerned that customers could be charged different prices for the same flight based on their need for travel, such as attending a funeral,” the congressional leaders wrote.
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