Those crafty folks at Jet Blue are at it again

Authorities have been warning residents of southern California to the upcoming calamity for months.  In recent weeks, news of the impending doom has spread across the country as the rest of us watch and be glad we aren't in this thick of the mess.  This weekend, the California Department of Transportation is shutting down the 405, one of the busiest and most jammed interstates in the country.  Some shuttle companies are estimating this 38 mile trek will take more than 4 hours during the shut down as millions scramble to find alternative routes to the beach.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic and thought, GOD I wish I could just fly over this mess?  Well now you can.  Jet Blue is offering 4$ flights (each way, plus taxes and fees) between Burbank and Long Beach - again, a 38 mile trip.  So, for 18$, you get a round trip flight that is gate-to-gate in 40 minutes.

While this is almost assuredly a money-loser in the short term for Jet Blue (the average cost to operate a A319 per hour is around $1,900, with shorter allowances for fuel but full crew costs, it probably costs Jet Blue around $1,200 to make these hops with a capacity of around 150 passengers netting $600 for loss of $600 per flight), what they make up in advertising and customer loyalty dollars is worth its weight in gold, and is a heck of a lot cheaper than a full spread of television advertising.