The neo, or "new engine option," is an updated version of the highly successful A320 family. It uses a new Pratt & Whitney GTF engine for a 15-20% fuel efficiency boost.
Unfortunately, production of the plane has been delayed, leading to some frustration as customers eagerly await deliveries.
JetBlue was supposed to receive 13 of its 85 orders through 2019. However, during a call with investors in July, JetBlue's president Joanna Geraghty shared that it expected just six this year.
However, the airline finally has its first A321neo — which was delivered in June — ready to start flying regularly.
The plane features an all-new cabin, virtually the same as the second phase of the airline's program to reconfigure its older A320 planes, but with a few tweaks unique to the A321neo
JetBlue has currently retrofit about 20 of its existing A320 planes with a new cabin, and expects to reconfigure the remaining 80–90 by the end of 2020. Some of those jets have an older "phase one" cabin, but most will be "phase two," similar to the A321neo.
The plane features a sleek, modern look, with brand new seats and pleasant mood lighting (which, obviously, is blue-hued).
The cabin is basically split into two sections. The larger forward cabin holds rows 1–23, while the last 10 rows are in the smaller back cabin.
In between these cabins is a small self-serve snack area called the "pantry." It's actually a little bigger than it looks in this photo, and is a pleasant place to get up and stretch your legs or grab a snack during a flight.
Drew Litavis, JetBlue's manager of aircraft interiors and in-flight technology, told Business Insider that the pantry was designed by AIM Altitude, the same company that builds the luxurious bars and lounges featured in planes from Emirates, Qatar, and Virgin Atlantic.
Each seat is about 18.4 inches wide, with 3 inches of recline and 32 inches of pitch — on the higher side for an economy seat.
They definitely felt comfortable, and nicely padded, despite concerns that JetBlue might remove padding from new seats to allow for more legroom.
The seat-back pockets have also been redesigned with a few specific pockets and panels for gadgets like phones and headphones, charging cables, and water bottles.
For those needing a little more space, there are a few rows of extra legroom seats, branded as "Even More Space."
These are the same Collins Aerospace Meridian-made seats as the rest of the cabin, but they offer about 35 inches of pitch.
While this particular version of the plane didn't feature JetBlue's "Mint" business class, future A321neos will have it.
Every seat, regardless of legroom, has the same redesigned in-flight entertainment system, and it's definitely impressive.
Interestingly, JetBlue decided to do away with the remote controls that used to be in the seats' armrests. Instead, passengers can pair their phones with the screens and use those as remotes.
One of the biggest complaints the airline heard from passengers was that it was too easy to knock the remote with an errant elbow and accidentally change the channel or stop a movie, according to Litavis. The phone-pairing is an elegant way to take care of that