Off The Cuff

Jet Blue or Jet Glue?

It seems that passengers on several Jet Blue flights a couple of days ago had to sit in the airplane, on the tarmac within sight of the terminal for a period of up to about 10 hrs. Even the pilots could not get through to the people who could do something about the mess. What was causing the problem? SNOW! Blizzard. It was terrible and terrifying.

Now, Jet Blue has a reputation for customer service and satisfaction. The CEO of Jet Blue backed that up by telling the passengers who had to sit for so long that it was unacceptable (meaning somebody or somebodies are going to lose their jobs which is only right considering what the customers had to go through with their decisions). Who in their right mind would let passengers in several planes sit for up to 10 hrs. within sight of the terminal? Whoever it was has received their walking papers by now, if the company keeps up their satisfaction policy.

Unfortunately for Blue, or possibly Glue at this point, the customers do not believe that "unacceptable" is enough. Well, seems the CEO agrees with that and is refunding the tickets and giving a round trip ticket to everyone involved. But that is not acceptable either says one passenger. She did not feel that it was enough. Okay, I can understand that up to a point. She sat in a plane for several hrs. with staff in the plane setting the toilets up as off limits when they got to overflow. Uh, where were the needy folks going to go after that, may I ask? I dunno either. Uh, did someone ever hear of portable stairs? Emergency deplaning? Did anyone have even half a brain with all this?

Well, since I did not go through what they did, it is hard to decide what is right and acceptable. However, I believe some kudos should be for Jet Blue because they are trying to work it out with folks. Isn't that worth something, at least? I know that it is the least they can do but it also shows that they cared enough to try to right a wrong done. Perhaps they could find a way to compensate these folks in other ways too.

Jet Blue or Jet Glued to the Runway

NEW YORK (AP) - JetBlue Airways Corp. tried to calm a maelstrom of criticism Thursday, after passengers were left waiting on planes at a New York airport for as long as 11 hours during a snow and ice storm. The airline said 10 incoming and outbound flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport were "significantly delayed" with customers on board during Wednesday's storm. Reasons included congestion, frozen equipment and an effort to keep planes ready to go in case the weather broke, said JetBlue spokesman Bryan Baldwin.

More than 250 of JetBlue's roughly 500 flights nationwide were canceled Wednesday, but "fairly normal" service resumed Thursday, he said. Calling Wednesday's delays "unacceptable," the airline planned to offer the affected passengers refunds and free flights.

And there you are. One more for the Are You Serious section!