NEWS: Casar, Gallego Demand Answers From JetBlue About Surveillance Pricing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Monday, Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (AZ) sent a letter to JetBlue Airlines requesting information about JetBlue's potential use of customer data and artificial intelligence to set prices for consumers.

On Monday, JetBlue's X account suggested a customer try clearing their "cache and cookies or booking with an incognito window" after the customer complained about a price increase, a clear suggestion that the company is using surveillance pricing. While JetBlue subsequently claimed that airfares are not "determined" by cached data or personal information, Casar and Gallego are demanding answers about the company's definition of personal data; whether JetBlue is working with external vendors to set prices using personal data; and whether personal data is used in any capacity to inform prices.

Casar and Gallego write they 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."

A copy of the letter, including the seven questions posed to CEO Joanna Geraghty, is available here.

Both Casar and Gallego have introduced bills to crack down on surveillance pricing.

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