To us, checking bags is more convenient. Yes, maybe we wait an additional ten minutes to take our bags off the conveyor but hey, the total travel time between leaving the house and toes in sand-drink in hand time is like ten hours anyway. We love going to St Maarten and regard the travel time as a necessary evil.
All told, if JetBlue's policy translates to fewer people jamming bags into overhead compartments then it is a good thing IMHO.
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