A California traveller is suing JetBlue for more than $5 million, claiming the airline charged him for a perk it never actually delivered — and the case could open the door for thousands of other passengers who feel shortchanged at checkout.

Saman Kohanof filed the civil complaint on August 31 after a February flight to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. While booking through JetBlue's app, he says he was shown two fare options: a Basic Blue fare at a lower price with no seat choice, and a standard Blue fare at $379 one-way that advertised free seat selection. He paid the extra for the Blue fare, expecting to pick his own seat. Instead, he says, the airline simply assigned him one — the same treatment Basic Blue customers get, and the very thing the pricier fare supposedly avoided.

When Kohanof contacted JetBlue, he claims he was offered no refund, credit, or fare adjustment. His argument is straightforward: if seat selection wasn't actually available, he would have bought the cheaper ticket. The complaint calls it a bait-and-switch and seeks damages above $5 million for the potential class, covering benefit-of-the-bargain damages, compensation and restitution.

Worth noting: the suit isn't challenging JetBlue's right to block seats for operational reasons — airlines routinely restrict some seats for crew, weight balance or equipment needs. The claim is narrower but potentially more damaging: that JetBlue sold a benefit it couldn't or didn't intend to provide, and should either have removed seat selection from the fare's advertised perks or warned buyers it might not apply.

JetBlue has since restructured its fares anyway. The old Blue Basic and Blue tiers have made way for Main Base, Main and Main Flex. Under the current setup, Main Base passengers pay a fee to choose a seat, while Main and Main Flex include it. The higher tiers also bundle in perks like free changes, early boarding on Main Flex, and — on flights to Europe and the UK — checked bags. TrueBlue Mosaic status and co-branded credit cards can unlock extras across all tiers.

Why should a traveller care? Because fare bundles have become the norm, and the gap between what a fare name promises and what you actually get is where the money is. The difference between Main Base and Main on JetBlue can be modest on price but significant on flexibility — a seat you choose, changes without a fee, and better cancellation terms. This lawsuit is a reminder to screenshot what a fare includes at booking time, and to flag it immediately if the promised perk doesn't materialise.

There's also a competitive angle. JetBlue has been expanding aggressively in Fort Lauderdale since Spirit's collapse, and rumours point to a BlueHouse lounge there next. As the airline positions itself as the value option in Florida, an accusation that its fare benefits are misleading lands at an awkward time. JetBlue hasn't publicly commented on the filing.

If the case is certified as a class action, anyone who paid for a higher fare tier on the promise of free seat selection and got an auto-assigned seat could be watching closely. Until then, the practical takeaway is simple: read the fare table before you click buy, and know exactly which tier you're paying for.

Story first reported by Simple Flying.