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Be the guy with the megaphone and other lessons from a JetBlue meltdown
By Matt
It could have been worse. I could’ve been stranded on the runway for eight hours. Instead, I was stuck at the JetBlue terminal for 12 hours last Thursday before finding out my flight was cancelled. [1]
Here are some communication lessons learned from the fiasco:
Put all your soldiers on the front lines. Jet Blue’s corporate offices are located near JFK so they brought in a bunch of people who normally work there to help out at the terminal. They wore Jet Blue vests and/or badges and wandered around the terminal answering questions, directing customers, and listening to complaints. Granted, a lot of these people didn’t know much more than the passengers but, hey, at least they were there. A lot of customers just wanted to vent and know someone was listening. You need boots on the ground to do the little things. I saw one rep ask an irate customer for a business card so he could follow up with him later. A small step, but it just might save a customer.
Be the guy with the megaphone. The PA system by the gates was pitiful. The volume was feeble and you could barely make out the thin announcements (which were similar to the unintelligible conductor announcements on the NYC subways). People were desperate to know what was going on. Enter megaphone man. Rumor was that he actually worked as legal counsel to JetBlue. He went to each gate with a megaphone and updated all the passengers with the latest info. Then he’d walk toward the rear of that gate and repeat the info again for those who hadn’t heard the first time. It wasn’t always good news. But at least an actual person was there, communicating something clearly.
Have an operator reserve force. A lot of the JetBlue reps on the scene encouraged passengers to call (800) Jet-Blue for more info. The problem was the phone lines were so jampacked there was no way to get through. This forced already irate customers to wait in lines for hours in order to find out information that easily could have been shared over the phone. The result: Anger builds and the people onsite had to deal with it.
Take it personally. When people are stuck on board a plane for eight hours with no clean toilets, they take it personally. And when your company promise is to “bring humanity back to air travel,” you better take it personally too.
The founder and chief executive of JetBlue says he’s “humiliated and mortified” by what happened. He’s taking responsibility and promising real changes. That’s what customers want to hear.
Mr. Neeleman said he would enact what he called a customer bill of rights that would financially penalize JetBlue — and reward passengers — for any repeat of the current upheaval. He said he would propose a plan to pay customers, after some amount of time, by the hour for being stranded on a plane…He says knows he has to deliver. “I can flap my lips all I want,” he said. “Talk is cheap. Watch us.”
Your site is a PR weapon. Neeleman’s emotional response was nowhere to be found at JetBlue.com though. The latest JetBlue news at the site is the addition of 3 blind moose Merlot and Chardonnay to flights. Hmm, is that really the big JetBlue news right now? And the last entry at the CEO’s blog at the site has the title “2007 Takes Off in the Right Direction.”
Granted, there’s a link that says “Operational Interruptions” in the site’s header but it only takes you to a bunch of sterile, boilerplate text (e.g, “JetBlue continues to experience cancellations and delays as a result of Wednesday’s ice storm in the Northeast. Please check the status of your flight online before proceeding to the airport.”)
The site needs to become the online version of the guy with the megaphone. There should be a letter from the CEO. There should be an apology. There should be details about changes that are going to happen to prevent this from occurring again. If they can’t easily make changes to the current site, they should set up a special crisis site to deal specifically with this debacle. As it is now, the company’s online presence seems disconnected from reality.
[1] Fyi, here’s the gritty details of my day at JFK (others had it worse): There was a big storm on Wednesday. But by Thursday things had cleared up. I had a 1:15pm flight to Chicago. I checked online and the site said the flight had been delayed until 2:15pm. So I arrived at the airport at 1pm. I checked in and the rep told me my flight had been cancelled and I was now flying standby on the 8pm flight. He took my bag and checked it in. He said if I had any questions, to ask at Special Services check-in. I went there and waited in line for over an hour. They told me that the 8pm flight wouldn’t actually leave until 11:45pm. And even then there would only be a 50-50 chance that I would get onto that flight. There were no other flights available until Monday. I decided to wait it out and take my chances. I stuck around the airport and then, at around 10:30pm, they told us the flight had been cancelled. We had to reschedule by waiting in another huge line or calling an 800 number. The 800 number was jammed though and it was impossible to get through. I decided to worry about it later. Now I had to get my bag back. This was another two hour wait. No one knew where the bags would come out or when they would come out. (But they did know that the bags could not be delivered.) Everyone was frazzled. The baggage handlers looked like they had just emerged from a war zone. Finally, at about 12:45am, the bags came out. I headed home. On the way, I tried calling the 800 number again and got put on hold. While on hold, there was a recurring message that said, “JetBlue isn’t the only way to fly…but it ought to be.”
Showing posts with label Kidnapped. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kidnapped. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Celebrity Endorsement from a Grammy Award-winning Artist
Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson
Grammy Award Winning Artist
Drummer Extraordinairre
Journalist/Writer
Producer
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Blog 91: Jet Gives The Blues
Current mood: shocked
noone knows the trouble i've seen
ESPECIALLY while traveling.
its NOTHING for me to clock in
24 hours of travel at any given point
i even boasted of performing in no less than
6 time zones in a 30 hour period.
unlike my president (H.O.) i don't use a clearport
sometimes tourbus (more than 4 gigs in a row)
sometimes 2 tourbuses (more than 2 weeks worth of gigs)
sometimes a train (japan and northeast gigs from philly)
sometimes i drive in my raggedy scion (under 100 miles)
sometimes first class (i earned miles and i pay out the ass if flight is more than 10 hours)
sometimes coach--
most of the time its smooth sailing.
but most times it aint smooth sailing.
i've had asshole flight attendants deny my computer bag on board or kirk's fragile guitar because of space. i've laced many a crook with the freshest of size 13 air force rares (never got to sport my HARD to find Basqiat printed Boks) gotten my bags DRENCHED in water during the rain, lost record cases RIGHT before a gig---sheeeit some lucky mofo dont even know he owns 7 sly and the family stone protool masters discs thanks to those fuckers from air france.
which leads to a very good friend of mine: genevive
you ever watch the news and wonder if someone you know is going to be "the big story on action news tonight?
(non philadelphians take note...on our abc news program the news always falls like this "good evening i'm jim gardner: oprah comes to philadelphia, bush stops the war, and septa threatens another transit strike: BUT THE BIG STORY ON ACTION NEWS TONIGHT THE IVERSON CLAN ARRESTED IN YET ANOTHER DENVER BRAWL AT BENNIGANS.....")
well i was in the gym and i heard a familiar name in conjunction with the tragedy of the new york jetblue 11 hour runway valentine disaster. turns my instincts were right on the money:
gen and her boyfriend were planning a romantic valentine day in the west coast only to sit on the runway of jfk for 11 hours.
11 hours
that aint even a trip to europe on british airwaves.
11 hours.....no getting off the plane no walking to terminal
that is getting on the plane at 630am and not getting off til 5pm!
i HAD to lead you to her blog....its making the news
(take is away gen)
Grammy Award Winning Artist
Drummer Extraordinairre
Journalist/Writer
Producer
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Blog 91: Jet Gives The Blues
Current mood: shocked
noone knows the trouble i've seen
ESPECIALLY while traveling.
its NOTHING for me to clock in
24 hours of travel at any given point
i even boasted of performing in no less than
6 time zones in a 30 hour period.
unlike my president (H.O.) i don't use a clearport
sometimes tourbus (more than 4 gigs in a row)
sometimes 2 tourbuses (more than 2 weeks worth of gigs)
sometimes a train (japan and northeast gigs from philly)
sometimes i drive in my raggedy scion (under 100 miles)
sometimes first class (i earned miles and i pay out the ass if flight is more than 10 hours)
sometimes coach--
most of the time its smooth sailing.
but most times it aint smooth sailing.
i've had asshole flight attendants deny my computer bag on board or kirk's fragile guitar because of space. i've laced many a crook with the freshest of size 13 air force rares (never got to sport my HARD to find Basqiat printed Boks) gotten my bags DRENCHED in water during the rain, lost record cases RIGHT before a gig---sheeeit some lucky mofo dont even know he owns 7 sly and the family stone protool masters discs thanks to those fuckers from air france.
which leads to a very good friend of mine: genevive
you ever watch the news and wonder if someone you know is going to be "the big story on action news tonight?
(non philadelphians take note...on our abc news program the news always falls like this "good evening i'm jim gardner: oprah comes to philadelphia, bush stops the war, and septa threatens another transit strike: BUT THE BIG STORY ON ACTION NEWS TONIGHT THE IVERSON CLAN ARRESTED IN YET ANOTHER DENVER BRAWL AT BENNIGANS.....")
well i was in the gym and i heard a familiar name in conjunction with the tragedy of the new york jetblue 11 hour runway valentine disaster. turns my instincts were right on the money:
gen and her boyfriend were planning a romantic valentine day in the west coast only to sit on the runway of jfk for 11 hours.
11 hours
that aint even a trip to europe on british airwaves.
11 hours.....no getting off the plane no walking to terminal
that is getting on the plane at 630am and not getting off til 5pm!
i HAD to lead you to her blog....its making the news
(take is away gen)
Another Charlie-ism
If it helps put things into perspective.
In 10.5 hours, we could have flown to Burbank.
And back again.
So imagine flying to LA from NY. Not being let off the plane. Taking off again and returning to NY.
Just to add to the misery, it's about 13 degrees in NY and 85 degrees in LA.
In 10.5 hours, we could have flown to Burbank.
And back again.
So imagine flying to LA from NY. Not being let off the plane. Taking off again and returning to NY.
Just to add to the misery, it's about 13 degrees in NY and 85 degrees in LA.
I’m conflicted - From Genevieve
From Yours Truly - Genevieve
Obviously I had a bad experience on with Jetblue, compounded by the many elements like my desire to go home, see my family and have a romantic first Valentine’s Day with Charlie. I started this blog because I needed to do SOMETHING. I don’t regret doing it. It turns out that I’m not alone. You’re not alone. I’m happy that we were able connect and have an outlet where other people can purge themselves of this unpleasant thing we lived through together.
Obviously I had a bad experience on with Jetblue, compounded by the many elements like my desire to go home, see my family and have a romantic first Valentine’s Day with Charlie. I started this blog because I needed to do SOMETHING. I don’t regret doing it. It turns out that I’m not alone. You’re not alone. I’m happy that we were able connect and have an outlet where other people can purge themselves of this unpleasant thing we lived through together.
Between Charlie and I, we each earned a free round trip ticket on JetBlue, and we are a third of our way thru to free round trip ticket #2. We don’t have a JetBlue Amex (our points do expire,) so we earned those points in one year. Each round trip from NY to CA is 12 points. Earn a hundred points and you get a free round-trip ticket. If you do the math, we pretty much had to travel once a month (10 times a year) for that free pass.
We LOVE JetBlue. When Charlie and I were in a long distance relationship, I credited JetBlue, iChat and free nights and weekends mobile calling plans for making our relationship work. The only time I didn’t travel JetBlue was when I would travel internationally or take Southwest** to
(NOTE TO JETBLUE: YOU NEED TO ADD A
JetBlue has always been my drink of choice. It always felt premium when other airlines made me feel like cattle. Before Jetblue came I traveled Tower Air (REMEMBER THEM!!?) JetBlue has always been wonderful in crediting me appropriately. They’ve called me if flights were delayed. I’ve gotten a $50 credit for a 2-hour delayed flight and a $25 credit for another flight that was an hour late. And both times I got free direct TV. Pretty sweet deal.
Before we got on the plane.
After we got on the plane.
After we got off the plane.
I don’t understand how 2 hours in a terminal, with wireless internet access, walking room, restaurants and the ability to go outside equals $50. Yet eleven hours in a cramped plane, hungry for food and praying to not have a panic attack is a round trip ticket. I won’t even tell you what Charlie’s day rate is-and his day rate maxes out at 9 hours.
I can’t begin to go over all the ways it went wrong.
We all know.
They know.
They’ve apologized and I believe David Neeleman when he says he’s sorry and humiliated.
DUH.
To paraphrase Chris Rock, “That’s like saying, ‘He takes care of his kids, he’s a good father’ YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE
What happens next?
**I’ll NEVER EVER Take Southwest again.
I'm a hostage too
If you were on any of the Jet blue flights on Valentine's Day that held you hostage on the tarmac while your Valentine's day was ruined please email me at JetBlueHostage@gmail.com.
Send me your experiences and I'll post it here.
Thanks!
More to come on this blog as well as my experience with Jet Blue.
Additionally, I'm trying to find a way make sure that us long term hostages (11 hours on the JFK tarmac,) are compensated differently. Apparantly, if you were held for 3hours or more you get ONE FREE roundtrip ticket. How come people held for 8 hours, 10 hours and 11 hours aren't compensated differently. It should be weighted differently.
Anyway, like I said, contact me at JetBlueHostage@gmail.com .
If you are on Myspace, make sure to add: www.myspace.com/jetbluehostage.
Thanks
Send me your experiences and I'll post it here.
Thanks!
More to come on this blog as well as my experience with Jet Blue.
Additionally, I'm trying to find a way make sure that us long term hostages (11 hours on the JFK tarmac,) are compensated differently. Apparantly, if you were held for 3hours or more you get ONE FREE roundtrip ticket. How come people held for 8 hours, 10 hours and 11 hours aren't compensated differently. It should be weighted differently.
Anyway, like I said, contact me at JetBlueHostage@gmail.com .
If you are on Myspace, make sure to add: www.myspace.com/jetbluehostage.
Thanks
Monday, February 19, 2007
Kate Starr's Own Private JetBlue Hell
From Jetbluehostage myspace friend Kate Starr :
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=24984404
I and a member of my band were told to wait from 5pm until about 11am the next day causing us to miss a very important recording session, thus causing us to have the mixes rushed for my new album and now we are having to pay hundreds of dollars trying to repair the problems and possibly lose a deal with a major label studio.
Jet Blue wouldn't even offer us a hotel to wait in and continually told us that at anytime we may be able to leave...
Although we weren't stranded on a plane, we were stranded in an aweful airport, didn't get a min. of sleep the night before a very important recording session in NYC. Then we were hours late for it after finally renting a car and driving 8 hours like a bat out of hell trying to get there to salvage any of our studio time. We didn't.
Sorry if you had to wait on the plane for ours as we've heard others did. Cheers
Catchup Lady Shouts Out JBH.com!
http://catchupblog.typepad.com/catch_up_blog/2007/02/jetbluehostagec.html
JetBlueHostage.com - JetBlue's worst nightmare
The internet and the world of Web 2.0 has given every citizen and consumer a voice. Now everyone must grapple with the age old questions, "Powers for good? Or powers for eeevil?"
Genevieve, a self-identified "hostage" on JetBlue flight #351 from JFK last week has started a blog entitled, "JET BLUE: A VALENTINE'S DAY HOSTAGE CRISIS" and is seeking to highlight the ordeal that she and others went through last week because of, "the poor decision making and planning of JetBlue Coporate." Genevieve will post others experiences and offers this synopsis of her own imprisonment, "Nothing says 'I love you' like being held hostage on a frozen plane with the man you love, 99 strangers, 4 other people you happen to know, 4 screaming babies and 3 rambunctious kids running about, nothing but chips and soda for sustenance, faulty power, unreliable direct TV and overfilled sewage system for 11 hours."
While it's hard to know if this blog will take off, or fade away with the situation it's this type of citizen journalism that gets picked up quickly be traditional media outlet and creates even MORE headaches for the offending company as they try to pick their way through the PR rubble of a situation like last week's ice storms. Behold! The power of the internets!
JetBlueHostage.com - JetBlue's worst nightmare
The internet and the world of Web 2.0 has given every citizen and consumer a voice. Now everyone must grapple with the age old questions, "Powers for good? Or powers for eeevil?"
Genevieve, a self-identified "hostage" on JetBlue flight #351 from JFK last week has started a blog entitled, "JET BLUE: A VALENTINE'S DAY HOSTAGE CRISIS" and is seeking to highlight the ordeal that she and others went through last week because of, "the poor decision making and planning of JetBlue Coporate." Genevieve will post others experiences and offers this synopsis of her own imprisonment, "Nothing says 'I love you' like being held hostage on a frozen plane with the man you love, 99 strangers, 4 other people you happen to know, 4 screaming babies and 3 rambunctious kids running about, nothing but chips and soda for sustenance, faulty power, unreliable direct TV and overfilled sewage system for 11 hours."
While it's hard to know if this blog will take off, or fade away with the situation it's this type of citizen journalism that gets picked up quickly be traditional media outlet and creates even MORE headaches for the offending company as they try to pick their way through the PR rubble of a situation like last week's ice storms. Behold! The power of the internets!
Colleen's Other Perspective: JetBlue Bankruptsy
On 2/19/07, Colleen wrote:
Just to give you another outlook on this: If they are to compensate everyone by the number of hours stuck at the airport, the airline may eventually go out of business or their low rates will become a thing of the past. They already lost alot of money from this I'm sure. The end result will be unsafe flying conditions by flying in dangerous weather or forcing exhausted pilots to fly, risking passenger lives instead of canceling or postponing flights.
I'm fighting for the rights of people stuck in planes for over 8 hours. Those are who I started this blog for and I feel should be compensated accordingly. There's a finite amount of us.
I do believe that the thousands of people who spent days in the airport, (also awful conditions,) should be allowed a voice here. But I can't even wrap my head around how to compensate them because I don't know how I would feel, or what in my life was compromised since i didn't live thru it. Since i started this blog, so many of them started writing me, and it would be unfair not to allow them to represent themselves too.
I don't want JetBlue to go out of business, I love JetBlue. But if they go out of business because of this mistake, (I hate to say this but) someone else will come along and take their same business model and there will be a new JetBlue. Delta Song tried to grab that market but failed because of the success of JetBlue. (I loved flying with them, i quite enjoyed their entertainment console. And I liked how cheeky and fun they always were.)
Again, I would be devastated if JetBlue went away, I love them, but what happened to me and the people on my plane and the plane stuck next to our plane for hours on the tarmac was physically, mentally and emotionally jarring. A free round trip ticket just isn't enough. And I don't think anyone disagrees with me. (At least not too much.)
Safe Travels Colleen!
G
JBH.com on the cover of FlightAttendantMagazine.com! Thanks!
Thanks to Sarah Gorman the Editor of FlightAttendantMagazine.com!
I said it before and I'll say it again, I don't advocate abuse of or from Jetblue employees.
That's why this blog was started, I feel as it's a humane way to deal with being treated inhumanely.
PS-On my flight, our crew was actually quite nice albeit extremely uninformed.
http://flightattendantmagazine.com/default.aspx
Headlines Today:
What is Going on @ jetBlue?
If the CEO is "humiliated," what do the employees, the ones who face the passengers, feel? If jetBlue treats its passengers like this, how does it treat employees?
jetBlue's CEO David Neeleman told the New York Times that the 1,000 cancelations "was the result of a shoestring communications system that left pilots and flight attendants in the dark."
Apparently, the domino delays still in effect on this Presidents' Day are now in place to protect the crew members. Perhaps the delay-sitting crew now need to have their one day off in seven days. Why the company cannot plan for these is a mystery.
jB has an ops program designed for "any disruption -- weather that grounds some flights, for example... {I}it allows planners to select various goals before rerouting planes. No canceled flights or delays beyond three hours? The software produces a solution and calculates its cost. It factors in each plane's maintenance and fuel needs, and the flight crew's experience and availability within FAA rules," says Fast Company Magazine. Where was this high-tech program on Valentine's Day 2007?
jetBlue says, "{their} goal at JetBlue is to offer friendly and efficient service in every aspect of our business" and that they have "a real vision for the future" in their recruitment. Five days is not much a future, yet jB cannot seem to plan the crew scheduling to allow for proper crew rest while still keeping the company operations, and thus, job security intact.
jetBlue cites "integrity" as a value it embraces to "result in a superior customer and crew member experience." It is not integrous to keep passengers or crew on a plane in hopes that the weather clears up, tell them to go home when there are no longer any buses running, nor keep them delayed and uninformed five full days later.
CEO Neeleman has been known to work alongside the 1200 flight attendants. He works with them to "{create} 'the JetBlue experience,' great service that fosters loyal customers. I want them to know that I value what they do," he told Fast Company. Neeleman, were sitting 11 hours with passengers? or in the crew reserve-room "alongside" the flight attenants?
"I had flight attendants sitting in hotel rooms for three days who couldn’t get a hold of us," Neeleman told the Times. jetBlue is proving again and again in the last few days that it cannot handle an emergency. An airline that has F/As in hotels but admittedly cannot communicate with them does not take care of its employees who are working out on the frontier- working to raise the profits of that airline. These hard-working flight attendants are not likely to forget that they had no one, including a union, to turn to in such an emergency.
Did crew members have any information about how they would get home after sitting 11 hours? Did crew have to spend $100 for cab fare, as passengers on www.jetbluehostage.com did?
Fewer flights means fewer flight hours for crew and fewer profits for a new company. www.jetbluehostage.com proves that jetBlue will lose a lot of loyal customers.
Are crewmembers getting their crewrest after sitting these delays? Will there be layoffs as a result of this fiasco?
Flight Attendant Magazine wants to know how our friends at jetBlue are faring. Send us an email! Sound off here. We want to hear from you.
I said it before and I'll say it again, I don't advocate abuse of or from Jetblue employees.
That's why this blog was started, I feel as it's a humane way to deal with being treated inhumanely.
PS-On my flight, our crew was actually quite nice albeit extremely uninformed.
http://flightattendantmagazine.com/default.aspx
Headlines Today:
What is Going on @ jetBlue?
If the CEO is "humiliated," what do the employees, the ones who face the passengers, feel? If jetBlue treats its passengers like this, how does it treat employees?
jetBlue's CEO David Neeleman told the New York Times that the 1,000 cancelations "was the result of a shoestring communications system that left pilots and flight attendants in the dark."
Apparently, the domino delays still in effect on this Presidents' Day are now in place to protect the crew members. Perhaps the delay-sitting crew now need to have their one day off in seven days. Why the company cannot plan for these is a mystery.
jB has an ops program designed for "any disruption -- weather that grounds some flights, for example... {I}it allows planners to select various goals before rerouting planes. No canceled flights or delays beyond three hours? The software produces a solution and calculates its cost. It factors in each plane's maintenance and fuel needs, and the flight crew's experience and availability within FAA rules," says Fast Company Magazine. Where was this high-tech program on Valentine's Day 2007?
jetBlue says, "{their} goal at JetBlue is to offer friendly and efficient service in every aspect of our business" and that they have "a real vision for the future" in their recruitment. Five days is not much a future, yet jB cannot seem to plan the crew scheduling to allow for proper crew rest while still keeping the company operations, and thus, job security intact.
jetBlue cites "integrity" as a value it embraces to "result in a superior customer and crew member experience." It is not integrous to keep passengers or crew on a plane in hopes that the weather clears up, tell them to go home when there are no longer any buses running, nor keep them delayed and uninformed five full days later.
CEO Neeleman has been known to work alongside the 1200 flight attendants. He works with them to "{create} 'the JetBlue experience,' great service that fosters loyal customers. I want them to know that I value what they do," he told Fast Company. Neeleman, were sitting 11 hours with passengers? or in the crew reserve-room "alongside" the flight attenants?
"I had flight attendants sitting in hotel rooms for three days who couldn’t get a hold of us," Neeleman told the Times. jetBlue is proving again and again in the last few days that it cannot handle an emergency. An airline that has F/As in hotels but admittedly cannot communicate with them does not take care of its employees who are working out on the frontier- working to raise the profits of that airline. These hard-working flight attendants are not likely to forget that they had no one, including a union, to turn to in such an emergency.
Did crew members have any information about how they would get home after sitting 11 hours? Did crew have to spend $100 for cab fare, as passengers on www.jetbluehostage.com did?
Fewer flights means fewer flight hours for crew and fewer profits for a new company. www.jetbluehostage.com proves that jetBlue will lose a lot of loyal customers.
Are crewmembers getting their crewrest after sitting these delays? Will there be layoffs as a result of this fiasco?
Flight Attendant Magazine wants to know how our friends at jetBlue are faring. Send us an email! Sound off here. We want to hear from you.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
I kinda feel sorry for this guy: NY Times Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/19/business/19jetblue.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
JetBlue’s C.E.O. Is ‘Mortified’ After Fliers Are Stranded
Robert Stolarik for The New York Times
Maria Arbelo, second from left, spent Sunday as she had the day before, waiting for her JetBlue flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
JetBlue’s C.E.O. Is ‘Mortified’ After Fliers Are Stranded
The founder and chief executive of JetBlue Airways, his voice cracking at times, called himself “humiliated and mortified” by a huge breakdown in the airline’s operations that has dragged on for nearly a week, and promised that in the future JetBlue would pay penalties to customers if they were stranded on a plane for too long.
David G. Neeleman said in a telephone interview yesterday that his company’s management was not strong enough. And he said the current crisis, which has led to about 1,000 canceled flights in five days, was the result of a shoestring communications system that left pilots and flight attendants in the dark, and an undersize reservation system. Until now, JetBlue and its low fares have enjoyed overwhelming popularity and customer satisfaction ratings.
The crisis began Wednesday when an ice storm hit the Eastern United States. Most airlines responded by canceling more flights earlier, sending passengers home and resuming their schedules within a day or two. But JetBlue thought the weather would break and it would be able to fly, keeping its revenue flowing and its customers happy.
On the contrary, JetBlue’s woes dragged on day after day. On Saturday night, for instance, the airline said that the 23 percent of flights it had canceled on Saturday and Sunday would also be canceled Monday. The confusion led to angry exchanges between customers and employees, prompting the airline to call out security personnel.
Founded in 1999 as a low-fare airline, JetBlue was often cited as a favorite among passengers and expanded rapidly, but its systems to deal with the consequences of bad weather did not keep up with the growth, Mr. Neeleman said. The company’s low-cost operating structure may have been a contributing factor.
“We had so many people in the company who wanted to help who weren’t trained to help,” he said. “We had an emergency control center full of people who didn’t know what to do. I had flight attendants sitting in hotel rooms for three days who couldn’t get a hold of us. I had pilots e-mailing me saying, ‘I’m available, what do I do?’ ”
The part of the company that locates pilots and flight attendants and directs them to their next flight assignment is far too small for an airline JetBlue’s size, Mr. Neeleman said. He vowed to train 100 existing corporate office employees to work in that area when needed. Within two weeks, the area can be better backstopped, he said, and within 30 days, “flawless.”
Then again, Mr. Neeleman has been wrong before. On Friday, he told The New York Times that operations would be mostly back to normal on Saturday. That morning the company canceled 23 percent of its flights and shut service to 11 cities entirely.
Yesterday Mr. Neeleman said that throughout the chain of events, he had overestimated JetBlue’s ability to find people and get them into position.
The basic problem, he said, was JetBlue’s communication system: the ice storm had left a large portion of the airline’s 11,000 pilots and flight attendants far from where they needed to be to operate the planes, and JetBlue lacked the trained staff to find them and tell them where to go. Prior to last week, JetBlue had never had so many people out of position.
The reservation system was also overwhelmed, with customers unable to get through to human agents to check on a flight. In an unusual arrangement, the company employs nearly 2,000 reservation agents in the Salt Lake City area, many of them women who work at home. Mr. Neeleman said he would adjust their work agreement to require them to work longer hours during difficult periods.
Mr. Neeleman said he would announce a compensation system for passengers tomorrow. He is hoping to win quick forgiveness from customers and to demonstrate that he takes the airline’s failings seriously.
“This is going to be a different company because of this,” Mr. Neeleman said. “It’s going to be expensive. But what’s more important is to win back people’s confidence.” He did not say if higher fares might be in the offing.
At the peak of the JetBlue problem, nine airplanes full of angry passengers sat for six hours or more on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Other airlines have suffered big breakdowns. American Airlines stranded passengers on a plane in Austin, Tex., for about eight hours last Dec. 29. And in January 1999, a Northwest Airlines flight from the Caribbean arrived in Detroit 22 hours late and then was kept on the snowy tarmac for seven hours.
Last week at J.F.K., Delta Air Lines had at least one outbound flight that pulled away from the gate and then sat for two hours or more on the tarmac before returning to the gate, Betsy Talton, a Delta spokeswoman said. But Delta’s operations, smaller at J.F.K. than JetBlue’s, ran more smoothly. It canceled 20 to 25 of its roughly 80 flights on Wednesday, Ms. Talton said, and had some delays on Thursday.
Up and down the East Coast, Southwest avoided many of the problems JetBlue confronted by canceling more flights earlier. American Airlines also canceled flights earlier at J.F.K.
Throughout the airline industry, the move to lower costs has led to a thinning of staff. When things are running smoothly, the fewer number of people is usually adequate. When bad weather and other problems develop, however, it often becomes clear that airlines do not have enough people to manually rebook passengers on other flights, to handle misplaced bags and to take care of other problems.
Mr. Neeleman said JetBlue certainly erred in not canceling more flights and in not doing so earlier on Wednesday, and added that his company’s management lacked depth in operations. “We need to beef it up,” he said. “I’ll address that as well.”
Mr. Neeleman said he would enact what he called a customer bill of rights that would financially penalize JetBlue — and reward passengers — for any repeat of the current upheaval. He said he would propose a plan to pay customers, after some amount of time, by the hour for being stranded on a plane.
He says knows he has to deliver. “I can flap my lips all I want,” he said. “Talk is cheap. Watch us.”
There is growing sentiment in Congress to pass legislation that would mandate limits on the time passengers can be kept in a plane on the ground and also set compensation standards for stranded passengers. The airline industry hopes to fend off such a measure. Mr. Neeleman said he wanted to make the penalties to JetBlue “more aggressive than any airline lobbyist would let Congress do.”
Gordon M. Bethune, the former chief executive of Continental Airlines, said that little other than low fares would do much to win back customers, but if an airline makes a bad judgment call, “you better be good at recovery no matter what.” He called last week’s JetBlue meltdown “a byproduct of their past and their growth.”
Doreen's awful 17-Hour Experience
Doreen had an awful time in the terminal. It was chaos in the terminal. I can't imagine having to putting my mother and my daughter thru that ordeal. The terminalees had an awful time just lie us "hostages!" It was bad all around. Bad for the passengers, bad for the people in the terminals and bad for all the JetBlue employees that had to be face-to-face with an angry mob!
I need to get this off my chest because it still bothers me. My mother (75 years old), 18 year old daughter and myself left our Connecticut home at 7:30a.m. on 2/14/07 to take our flight #209 to Long Beach. I checked the Jet Blue website and saw that the plane was ontime. While in the limo on the way to JFK, I kept checking the 800 number - yes, it's still on time. Got to the airport, checked the bags and was happy to see - still on time! After the flight was finally cancelled at approximately 11:45a.m., I finally got through to the 800 number and was able to get on flight #215 approximate take off time - 4:05p.m. We had to find our luggage and recheck it. After waiting in line over an hour to do this - we waited. Flight #215 - ontime; over and over again - ontime. Then delayed; delayed; delayed; with different take-off times; first 6:30p.m. then 7:00p.m. then 8:05p.m. then it disappeared of the board; then it was back on the board; then back off the board. Jet Blue employees always, always reassuring we were definitely going to take off.
Everytime I called the 800 number, I was told to check the website and then it would hang up. I don't have a laptop to check anything. My cell phone battery died twice trying to get through. Tried to find an available outlet - no luck. Finally, did get one -recharged my battery and tried to find out what was happening. Please let this trip happen I say to myself. We were making it for my 18 year old daughter who has to have neurosurgery to take care of a rare bone disorder that is growing around her optic nerve and into her sinus cavity. She has always wanted to be on the Price is Right and Bob Barker is retiring in June. It was the only time we were going to be able to go. But the Jet Blue employees are telling us we will definitely take off because if we don't we won't be able to get out until Sunday (Sunday is too late - our tickets are for 2/15. We can't get tickets for any other taping). As of 11:00p. m., we were told we are still definitely taking off. Finally, an announcement comes over the p.a. system - the airport is closed and all flights are cancelled.
I know the people on the plane stuck on the tarmac were in much more dire straits then us but I can't get rid of this horrible feeling. My daughter was such a trooper and didn't complain but I just feel awful.
Doreen writes back
Dear Gen:
I wrote the story below and my name is Doreen. I live in XXXXXXX, Connecticut and I want to thank you for starting this blog. It helped me considerably to share my story with someone who was there that day. My daughter's surgery will be on April 2nd and being scared to death about it and to have our gift to her (the trip to California to be on the Price is Right) totally screwed up, put me in a pretty low spot. So, thank you, for doing this - it helped!.
Doreen
I need to get this off my chest because it still bothers me. My mother (75 years old), 18 year old daughter and myself left our Connecticut home at 7:30a.m. on 2/14/07 to take our flight #209 to Long Beach. I checked the Jet Blue website and saw that the plane was ontime. While in the limo on the way to JFK, I kept checking the 800 number - yes, it's still on time. Got to the airport, checked the bags and was happy to see - still on time! After the flight was finally cancelled at approximately 11:45a.m., I finally got through to the 800 number and was able to get on flight #215 approximate take off time - 4:05p.m. We had to find our luggage and recheck it. After waiting in line over an hour to do this - we waited. Flight #215 - ontime; over and over again - ontime. Then delayed; delayed; delayed; with different take-off times; first 6:30p.m. then 7:00p.m. then 8:05p.m. then it disappeared of the board; then it was back on the board; then back off the board. Jet Blue employees always, always reassuring we were definitely going to take off.
Everytime I called the 800 number, I was told to check the website and then it would hang up. I don't have a laptop to check anything. My cell phone battery died twice trying to get through. Tried to find an available outlet - no luck. Finally, did get one -recharged my battery and tried to find out what was happening. Please let this trip happen I say to myself. We were making it for my 18 year old daughter who has to have neurosurgery to take care of a rare bone disorder that is growing around her optic nerve and into her sinus cavity. She has always wanted to be on the Price is Right and Bob Barker is retiring in June. It was the only time we were going to be able to go. But the Jet Blue employees are telling us we will definitely take off because if we don't we won't be able to get out until Sunday (Sunday is too late - our tickets are for 2/15. We can't get tickets for any other taping). As of 11:00p. m., we were told we are still definitely taking off. Finally, an announcement comes over the p.a. system - the airport is closed and all flights are cancelled.
I know the people on the plane stuck on the tarmac were in much more dire straits then us but I can't get rid of this horrible feeling. My daughter was such a trooper and didn't complain but I just feel awful.
Doreen writes back
Dear Gen:
I wrote the story below and my name is Doreen. I live in XXXXXXX, Connecticut and I want to thank you for starting this blog. It helped me considerably to share my story with someone who was there that day. My daughter's surgery will be on April 2nd and being scared to death about it and to have our gift to her (the trip to California to be on the Price is Right) totally screwed up, put me in a pretty low spot. So, thank you, for doing this - it helped!.
Doreen
My OWN Hostage Story: The Prologue
Happy Valentine’s Hostage Crisis
A TRUE HORROR STORY
Lived Through By Genevieve and Charlie
Characters:
Genevieve: Woman in her early thirties who lives in the Lower East Side with her sculptor boyfriend Charlie. The California native moved to NYC from the Bay Area in her early 20s. After 8 years in NYC, Genevieve relocates to LA for three years only to return to NYC to take the next steps in her relationship with her then long-distance boyfriend Charlie. While, her best friends are in Los Angeles and family are in the Bay Area, she feels alienated and lonely her second time around in a new NYC, a new NYC she can’t relate to. Charlie is her best friend in NY. Genevieve has a handful of other friends who keep her spirits up and keep NY bearable. She daydreams about the day she will return to California with Charlie to be closer to all the people she loves and misses.
Charlie: A sculptor in his 30s who has lived for 13years in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He is an avid soccer fan and a former skater and punk. Most of his adult life has been spent in NYC but the Los Angeles he discovered with his girlfriend Genevieve has grown on him. He and Genevieve share a love for sushi, Karaoke, The Simpsons and surfing.
Act I - PROLOGUE
Scene I
Fade In
INT: January NYC Cluttered Apartment. A man sitting at a chair and a woman sitting on a couch, both with laptops on their lap are watching TV, surfing the internet and chatting.
Genevieve
Hey Baby, what do you want for your birthday?
Charlie
It’s been a while since we’ve gone to LA. Maybe it’s time we go back, maybe for Valentine’s day.
Genevieve, looks up from her computer screen, smiles, jumps up and kisses Charlie. She goes back to her computer and books round trip tickets on Jetblue.
Close up on Genevieve’s laptop screen. She posts a bulletin message on Myspace informing people of her trip to LA.
Scene II
INT: February, Internet Company offices in Midtown Manhattan, Blinding buzzing fluorescent lights overcome all
Genevieve sits in her cube staring at her computer. Her mobile phone rings in her purse. She picks it up.
Genevieve
Hi Mommy. (pause) Yea, we’re gonna be in LA on Valentine’s Day and staying for the long weekend. (Pause) OH Great! Auntie Tita and Auntie Dadette and the kids? How about Wes? (Pause) Ok, I’ll call him and make sure he’s coming. (pause) I’ll see you then, I’ll call you later I’m at work. (pause) Love you too.
Genevieve hangs up and dials from her office phone.
Genevieve
Hey Babe, my mom’s coming down to LA with the family that weekend! (pause) I just wanted you to know. (pause) Ok, Bye love you.
Scene III
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Charlie sculpting a small piece in his hand and Genevieve with laptops in her lap, sitting in the living room. The TV is on.
The Date Flashes across the screen February 12:
NEWSPERSON (on the TV): something unintelligible about a winter storm coming in.
Charlie and Genevieve look up at the TV for a moment.
Genevieve (Typing on IM)
Genister: Perfect time to come out there. Genister: Winterstorm is coming inGenister: What’s the weather like out there
Friend types back:
Genister Friend: 85 Degrees
Genevieve
Babe, It’s 85 degrees in LA. This is the perfect time to get out of here.
Charlie and Genevieve smile at each other.
Scene IV
INT: Internet Company offices in Midtown Manhattan, Blinding buzzing fluorescent lights overcome all
The Date Flashes across the screen “February 12 12pm”
Genevieve at the computer reading Cnn.com. “Flights cancelled in the North East due to weather. “
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on a flight that leaves JFK tomorrow. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Genevieve leaves a Bulletin on Myspace:
Date: Feb 13, 2007 12:19 PM
Subject: 22 hours
Body:
it's fucking on, LA.
party.hearty.
Let's do it up like ferris bueller.
The Time Flashes across the screen “2pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
The Time Flashes across the screen “4pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
The Time Flashes across the screen “6pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Genevieve hangs up and dials again.
Genevieve
Babe, the flight is still on time. We should just stay up and pack since we have to leave early. (Pause) Ok, I’m gonna call when I get home ‘though cos I don’t want to get there and have to go back home. (Pause) Ok, I’m leaving now. Love you.
Scene V
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Charlie and Genevieve dance around eachother packing, Going thru mail, getting toiletries in order, pulling out clothes.
The Time Flashes across the screen “7pm”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
Charlie
What’s the F12 (weather wiki command on a Mac) in LA?
Charlie goes to his computer
Charlie
It’s going to be in the 80s!
The Time Flashes across the screen “10pm”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
The Time Flashes across the screen “Midnight”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
Scene VI
INT: NYC Bathroom. Shower is running. Two people are in the shower.
Charlie
Happy Valentine’s Babe.
Genevieve
DANG! You’re fucking awesome.
Scene VII
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Shower running in the background.
Genevieve leaves the comment on Charlie’s Myspace page:
You beat me to Happy Valentine's, but I beat you to the comment. Again. I win.
The Time Flashes across the screen “Valentine’s Day-2AM”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK at 645. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
The Time Flashes across the screen “400am”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Jetblue Customer Rep Recording
Thanks you for Calling Jet Blue Airways, The next agent will be with you shortly. Your current expected wait time is 13 minutes. You can check the online status of you flight by checking jetblue.com. Remember, Jetblue isn’t be the only way to fly, but it should be.
Time flashes across the screen “Thirteen minutes later”
Genevieve
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK at 645. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome!
Hangs up phone
Charlie and Genevieve grab their luggage and head out.
A TRUE HORROR STORY
Lived Through By Genevieve and Charlie
Characters:
Genevieve: Woman in her early thirties who lives in the Lower East Side with her sculptor boyfriend Charlie. The California native moved to NYC from the Bay Area in her early 20s. After 8 years in NYC, Genevieve relocates to LA for three years only to return to NYC to take the next steps in her relationship with her then long-distance boyfriend Charlie. While, her best friends are in Los Angeles and family are in the Bay Area, she feels alienated and lonely her second time around in a new NYC, a new NYC she can’t relate to. Charlie is her best friend in NY. Genevieve has a handful of other friends who keep her spirits up and keep NY bearable. She daydreams about the day she will return to California with Charlie to be closer to all the people she loves and misses.
Charlie: A sculptor in his 30s who has lived for 13years in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He is an avid soccer fan and a former skater and punk. Most of his adult life has been spent in NYC but the Los Angeles he discovered with his girlfriend Genevieve has grown on him. He and Genevieve share a love for sushi, Karaoke, The Simpsons and surfing.
Scene I
Fade In
INT:
Hey Baby, what do you want for your birthday?
Charlie
It’s been a while since we’ve gone to LA. Maybe it’s time we go back, maybe for Valentine’s day.
Genevieve, looks up from her computer screen, smiles, jumps up and kisses Charlie. She goes back to her computer and books round trip tickets on Jetblue.
Close up on Genevieve’s laptop screen. She posts a bulletin message on Myspace informing people of her trip to LA.
Scene II
INT: February, Internet Company offices in Midtown Manhattan, Blinding buzzing fluorescent lights overcome all
Genevieve sits in her cube staring at her computer. Her mobile phone rings in her purse. She picks it up.
Hi Mommy. (pause) Yea, we’re gonna be in LA on Valentine’s Day and staying for the long weekend. (Pause) OH Great! Auntie Tita and Auntie Dadette and the kids? How about Wes? (Pause) Ok, I’ll call him and make sure he’s coming. (pause) I’ll see you then, I’ll call you later I’m at work. (pause) Love you too.
Genevieve hangs up and dials from her office phone.
Hey Babe, my mom’s coming down to LA with the family that weekend! (pause) I just wanted you to know. (pause) Ok, Bye love you.
Scene III
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Charlie sculpting a small piece in his hand and Genevieve with laptops in her lap, sitting in the living room. The TV is on.
The Date Flashes across the screen February 12:
NEWSPERSON (on the TV): something unintelligible about a winter storm coming in.
Charlie and Genevieve look up at the TV for a moment.
Genevieve (Typing on IM)
Genister: Perfect time to come out there. Genister: Winterstorm is coming inGenister: What’s the weather like out there
Friend types back:
Genister Friend: 85 Degrees
Babe, It’s 85 degrees in LA. This is the perfect time to get out of here.
Charlie and Genevieve smile at each other.
Scene IV
INT: Internet Company offices in Midtown Manhattan, Blinding buzzing fluorescent lights overcome all
The Date Flashes across the screen “February 12 12pm”
Genevieve at the computer reading Cnn.com. “Flights cancelled in the North East due to weather. “
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on a flight that leaves JFK tomorrow. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Genevieve leaves a Bulletin on Myspace:
Date: Feb 13, 2007 12:19 PM
Subject: 22 hours
Body:
it's fucking on, LA.
party.hearty.
Let's do it up like ferris bueller.
The Time Flashes across the screen “2pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
The Time Flashes across the screen “4pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
The Time Flashes across the screen “6pm”
Genevieve checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Genevieve hangs up and dials again.
Babe, the flight is still on time. We should just stay up and pack since we have to leave early. (Pause) Ok, I’m gonna call when I get home ‘though cos I don’t want to get there and have to go back home. (Pause) Ok, I’m leaving now. Love you.
Scene V
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Charlie and Genevieve dance around eachother packing, Going thru mail, getting toiletries in order, pulling out clothes.
The Time Flashes across the screen “7pm”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
What’s the F12 (weather wiki command on a Mac) in LA?
Charlie goes to his computer
It’s going to be in the 80s!
The Time Flashes across the screen “10pm”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
The Time Flashes across the screen “Midnight”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK tomorrow morning. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
Scene VI
INT: NYC Bathroom. Shower is running. Two people are in the shower.
Happy Valentine’s Babe.
Genevieve
DANG! You’re fucking awesome.
Scene VII
INT: NYC Cluttered Apartment. Shower running in the background.
Genevieve leaves the comment on Charlie’s Myspace page:
You beat me to Happy Valentine's, but I beat you to the comment. Again. I win.
The Time Flashes across the screen “Valentine’s Day-2AM”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK at 645. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome. I’ll call again before I leave for the airport.
Hangs up phone
The Time Flashes across the screen “400am”
Genevieve goes to computer, checks flight 351 status on the jetblue.com website. “On Time”
Genevieve picks up phone and dials.
Thanks you for Calling Jet Blue Airways, The next agent will be with you shortly. Your current expected wait time is 13 minutes. You can check the online status of you flight by checking jetblue.com. Remember, Jetblue isn’t be the only way to fly, but it should be.
Time flashes across the screen “Thirteen minutes later”
I’m on flight 351 that leaves JFK at 645. How are the flights looking? (Pause) Awesome!
Hangs up phone
Charlie and Genevieve grab their luggage and head out.
The Gothamist Blog: Jet Blew It Again And Again
http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2007/02/18/jet_blew_it.php
Jet Blew It Again And Again
JetBlue will cancel another quarter of its flights tomorrow in hopes that it can recover from hundreds of canceled flights since Wednesday's snow and ice storm. A fourth of yesterday's flights were canceled, as were a fourth of today's flights. The airline hopes it'll be back and running at its usual level by Tuesday.
Since the storm, at least 861 JetBlue flights have been canceled out of JFK Airport, and its spokesperson said, “It was turning from an operational problem to a safety and security problem for our workers. We canceled late departures, upset more customers, met overnight and said, ‘This has just got to stop.’” And the NY Times detailed one Friday night incident illustrating why:
Irving Fain, a New Yorker who said that his 6:05 p.m. flight Friday from J.F.K. to San Diego was delayed many times and then canceled at about 10:30 p.m., described a scene at gate 16 in the JetBlue terminal with angry passengers crowding around the gate podium, a gate agent calling security, and then passengers and a security officer exchanging heated words.
“It was really a disaster,” said Mr. Fain, who is 26 and works for a radio station. “Passengers screaming, ‘We pay your salary.’ The security guy screaming back. Fifteen minutes into this ruckus, they finally canceled the flight.”
And why did JetBlue have problems on Wednesday? For starters, JetBlue waited too long before calling planes back to the terminal. The low-cost carrier didn't have enough gates, either, to deal with the influx of passengers, and with other vehicles and equipment becoming frozen to the runway, a bad situation turned worse. And JetBlue also lacks agreements with other airlines that let them shift passengers to other carriers during emergencies. With the stories of the 11-hour waits on powerless and heat-less JetBlue planes at the JFK tarmac now legend, a passenger bill of rights is now a hot topic.
Aside from nightmarishly long waits averaging around 9-10 hours aboard planes stranded on the tarmac on Wednesday, there are also thousands of pieces of luggage to deal with. One passenger told WABC 7, "From behinds the doors, we did see them laughing at us. The crew members and the help they had with the baggage. They weren't working."
JetBlue's CEO David Neeleman told the NY Times he was horrified with what happened, but remained optimistic (for investors?), "Is our good will gone? No, it isn’t. We fly 30 million people a year. Ten thousand were affected by this.” Which makes us wonder, will you avoid flying JetBlue after this incident? Or do you chalk it up to a freak incident?
Photograph of the scene inside one JetBlue plane on Wednesday and on the way (finally!) to the terminal by passenger Lou Martins/AP
Jet Blew It Again And Again
JetBlue will cancel another quarter of its flights tomorrow in hopes that it can recover from hundreds of canceled flights since Wednesday's snow and ice storm. A fourth of yesterday's flights were canceled, as were a fourth of today's flights. The airline hopes it'll be back and running at its usual level by Tuesday.
Since the storm, at least 861 JetBlue flights have been canceled out of JFK Airport, and its spokesperson said, “It was turning from an operational problem to a safety and security problem for our workers. We canceled late departures, upset more customers, met overnight and said, ‘This has just got to stop.’” And the NY Times detailed one Friday night incident illustrating why:
Irving Fain, a New Yorker who said that his 6:05 p.m. flight Friday from J.F.K. to San Diego was delayed many times and then canceled at about 10:30 p.m., described a scene at gate 16 in the JetBlue terminal with angry passengers crowding around the gate podium, a gate agent calling security, and then passengers and a security officer exchanging heated words.
“It was really a disaster,” said Mr. Fain, who is 26 and works for a radio station. “Passengers screaming, ‘We pay your salary.’ The security guy screaming back. Fifteen minutes into this ruckus, they finally canceled the flight.”
And why did JetBlue have problems on Wednesday? For starters, JetBlue waited too long before calling planes back to the terminal. The low-cost carrier didn't have enough gates, either, to deal with the influx of passengers, and with other vehicles and equipment becoming frozen to the runway, a bad situation turned worse. And JetBlue also lacks agreements with other airlines that let them shift passengers to other carriers during emergencies. With the stories of the 11-hour waits on powerless and heat-less JetBlue planes at the JFK tarmac now legend, a passenger bill of rights is now a hot topic.
Aside from nightmarishly long waits averaging around 9-10 hours aboard planes stranded on the tarmac on Wednesday, there are also thousands of pieces of luggage to deal with. One passenger told WABC 7, "From behinds the doors, we did see them laughing at us. The crew members and the help they had with the baggage. They weren't working."
JetBlue's CEO David Neeleman told the NY Times he was horrified with what happened, but remained optimistic (for investors?), "Is our good will gone? No, it isn’t. We fly 30 million people a year. Ten thousand were affected by this.” Which makes us wonder, will you avoid flying JetBlue after this incident? Or do you chalk it up to a freak incident?
Photograph of the scene inside one JetBlue plane on Wednesday and on the way (finally!) to the terminal by passenger Lou Martins/AP
JBH.com get's another mention: NSP Strategist Blog
NSP Strategist: Case Study in Service: Jet Blue
Case Study in Service: Jet Blue
Jet Blue blew it last Valentine's Day. A snowstorm in JFK, their hub, stranded thousands - many stuck on planes for 4 to 11 hours. (Documented by the press and blogs like JetBlueHostage). Jet Blue failed on every level of customer service last Wed. The kiosks had no info. The manager with the megaphone walking the terminal did not provide any info. The 800 number was overloaded, directed you to the website, and hung up.
JetBlue has been struggling since early 2006 when their plane lease payments became due. Blue even sent some planes back to Airbus.
This was one of the shining stars in air travel. DirecTV. Nice snacks. Comfy, roomy seats. Not the cheapest either. But all that was damaged - maybe for good - last Wed.
On Tom Peters blog, many think that it is a sympton of the airlines' attitude in general. I agree because most airlines, especially Delta, treat passengers as a nuisance. I'm tired of using tax money to bail out this industry, too. Let them fail. Another company will come along and for a little while provide good service.
My problem with JetBlue is that this isn't the first snow storm - and they had warning. Six years in business, you should have a plan - a procedure - in place to COMMUNICATE with your clients.
James P Was Black Listed! WHAT AWFUL TREATMENT!
Dear JetBlue hostage,
My story is different from yours. I was in JFK airport on 16-Feb-2007, the Friday after Valentine's day. I was running to catch a flight after waiting for it for 3+ hours. I bumped into a JetBlue employee. The employee went crazy, over-reacted, called security, had me escorted from the airport. Worst of all the employee put me on the "blacklist". I still haven't found out what that means. It is crazy that upset employees are allowed to put passengers on no-fly blacklists after what was going on there at JFK. The JetBlue employee was an inexperience young hot tempered man, who shouldn't of had the authority to do such a thing. I don't plan on flying with JetBlue anymore. The employees are terrible.
sorry the rest of you had to wait on the plane for 11 hours.
james p. II
Dear James,
This is absolutely HORRIFYING! What happened sounds to me like a touch of projecting. You were the victim of someone taking out all the grief he must have been getting from other hostages on someone who was an easy target. I will keep your email on file should anyone from Jetblue contact me (fingers crossed) about somehow making this up to you. What a humiliating experience.
Good luck!
G
My story is different from yours. I was in JFK airport on 16-Feb-2007, the Friday after Valentine's day. I was running to catch a flight after waiting for it for 3+ hours. I bumped into a JetBlue employee. The employee went crazy, over-reacted, called security, had me escorted from the airport. Worst of all the employee put me on the "blacklist". I still haven't found out what that means. It is crazy that upset employees are allowed to put passengers on no-fly blacklists after what was going on there at JFK. The JetBlue employee was an inexperience young hot tempered man, who shouldn't of had the authority to do such a thing. I don't plan on flying with JetBlue anymore. The employees are terrible.
sorry the rest of you had to wait on the plane for 11 hours.
james p. II
Dear James,
This is absolutely HORRIFYING! What happened sounds to me like a touch of projecting. You were the victim of someone taking out all the grief he must have been getting from other hostages on someone who was an easy target. I will keep your email on file should anyone from Jetblue contact me (fingers crossed) about somehow making this up to you. What a humiliating experience.
Good luck!
G
Martin's Blog - Thanks Martin! JET BLEW
I love the site! I didn't fly until Friday so I missed the Valentine's Day mess, but it's still a disaster, here's my posting on it.
http://www.travelgator.com/do/aboutTGBlogs?actionType=aboutTGBlogs
Cheers,
-Martin
Martin's Blog:
Jet Blew
February 16, 2007
So by this point, Jet Blue's disastrous handling of this week's snowstorms has been well documented. But it stopped snowing 2 days ago, so when it came time to head to JFK to catch our Jet Blue flights to Cancun, we weren't worried. I mean, 2 days is plenty of time to get the mess cleaned up - even the sidewalks in Manhattan were all shoveled by this morning. We checked Jet Blue's web site just to be sure, and they said the flight is confirmed, no delays, so we settled in to the ride to the airport thinking no prob, we'll have a smooth time.
Wrong.
When we got to the terminal it looked like a natural disaster had just hit somewhere nearby - people everywhere, in every seat, sitting in clusters in the middle of the floor, curled up in corners sleeping. Our flight was suddenly delayed by 90 minutes so we decided to grab a bite while waiting - the Jet Blue terminal has some surprisingly decent sushi. After 30 minutes of hovering next to tables we spotted a group getting ready to leave and swooped in. As we munched on our rolls, we chatted with people at neighboring tables and got all the horror stories - they had all been in the terminal for at least 10 hours trying to get home. One was getting ready to DRIVE to Charlotte (10 hours away) to catch a flight to Florida.
Around us there was constant chaos - wherever there was a flight that was actually leaving, desperate crowds at the gate waving boarding passes begging to be allowed on. Gate attendants regularly came over the PA alternating between pleading for order - "Everybody PLEASE form a single line!" and threatening customers "If you don't form a line NOW we're going to cancel this flight!". Customer service at its finest.
By the time we got to the gate, we were expecting chaos of our own, and we weren't disappointed. Our gate was in an annex to the main terminal, so we take the shuttle bus over. Get to the gate, and the flight there is going to Puerto Rico. Our flight is no longer listed on the monitors at all. After 15 minutes of confusion, an attendant shouts out that we need to go to gate 2, they're changing the gate. Back on the shuttle bus. We get to gate 2, no flight posted, no gate attendant, attendants at neighboring gates have no idea what's going on.
Finally an attendant shows up, posts the flight, and announces that while the plane is there, they "cannot locate" the crew. They don't know where they are? Don't they track which of their staff is on which flight? Then he comes on and says (thinking this will inspire hope) that the crew "has been spotted in the building" but that they still haven't managed to locate them. WTF? They don't have cellphones? Can't they page them?
To make a much longer story short.. we finally left 5 hours late, and considered ourselves very lucky. It's hard to feel self-pity when you're surrounded by people in the terminal giving you envious (or jealous, or hateful) stares because you're getting on a plane and they're not. It felt like a refugee camp.
And then, the icing on the cake - when we landed in Cancun, they couldn't find one of my bags. Must be with the crew, maybe it's been spotted in the building? They didn't get the joke.. luckily it was the one with my clothes and not my scuba gear - I'll be wearing nothing but a swimsuit all week, but at least I still get to go diving. Counting my blessings.. and vowing to never ever buy a ticket from Jet Blue again.
Martin
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Danny's Experience
Apparently Passengers on Jetblue 351 on Valentine's day (myself included) were experiencing de ja vu' for Danny and his friends. Shame on you JetBlue! I would hop that you wouldn't make the same mistakes after a year!
The exact same JetBlue problem that took place this year and had passengers sitting on planes for up to 11 hours happened to me almost a year ago to the day!
I'm having a little problem with the embed code so here's a link to the actual video too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOo-tG9q2h0
The exact same JetBlue problem that took place this year and had passengers sitting on planes for up to 11 hours happened to me almost a year ago to the day!
I'm having a little problem with the embed code so here's a link to the actual video too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOo-tG9q2h0
More Blog Love for JBH.com: The World Is Wide
http://theworldiswide.blogspot.com/2007/02/jetblue-hostage-blog.html
The World Is Wide: JetBlue Hostage Blog
JetBlue Hostage Blog
I just blogged about an article I read on JetBlue, and today a friend sent an e-mail that one of the passengers started a blog. Now that's a PR nightmare!!! - just a traveler.
http://www.jetbluehostage.com/
Micahel R's Experience. TEH SAGE STILL CONTINUES!
Two days after their Valentines Day Massacre the pain continued.
They should be embarrassed. I connected from Cancun, thru JFK, to Burlington VT on Friday Feb 16. The flight was supposed to leave at 10:50 pm, they kept on delaying it. First an hour, then a half hour, then more, then more again. Several of us told them to cancel at 12:00. We knew we were being lied to and they did it. Their best intentions were garbage. At 2:00 am, they had pilots on the plane, the plane cleaned and loaded with luggage, and then they called us to the gate, made us wait a tense fifteen more minutes, then cancelled the flight. They didn't have flight attendants. How could they be so disorganized that as they continued to delay a flight, they don't know the status of their attendants? Now all flights are booked for two days, there are no rental cars, and we are abandoned in Queens. I went to get my bag, and there is a sea of humanity trying to find bags. Bags are piled everywhere, people are waiting 45 minutes to 4 hours for a bag that won't show. I gave up and went to the baggage office to fill out a lost baggage form. No forms and no employee. He's gone to find more forms. I abandoned my bag. I took the Airtrain to Manhattan, spent $219 on a hotel, then caught the train to Vermont today. I am out $219 for hotel, $54 for train, $20 for winter clothes (my winter clothes were in my truck in VT), $50 in food, a flight I never used, and countless waited time. What are they going to do about it? How are they going to get my bag back to me? It has a name tag. I really need some good answers.
They should be embarrassed. I connected from Cancun, thru JFK, to Burlington VT on Friday Feb 16. The flight was supposed to leave at 10:50 pm, they kept on delaying it. First an hour, then a half hour, then more, then more again. Several of us told them to cancel at 12:00. We knew we were being lied to and they did it. Their best intentions were garbage. At 2:00 am, they had pilots on the plane, the plane cleaned and loaded with luggage, and then they called us to the gate, made us wait a tense fifteen more minutes, then cancelled the flight. They didn't have flight attendants. How could they be so disorganized that as they continued to delay a flight, they don't know the status of their attendants? Now all flights are booked for two days, there are no rental cars, and we are abandoned in Queens. I went to get my bag, and there is a sea of humanity trying to find bags. Bags are piled everywhere, people are waiting 45 minutes to 4 hours for a bag that won't show. I gave up and went to the baggage office to fill out a lost baggage form. No forms and no employee. He's gone to find more forms. I abandoned my bag. I took the Airtrain to Manhattan, spent $219 on a hotel, then caught the train to Vermont today. I am out $219 for hotel, $54 for train, $20 for winter clothes (my winter clothes were in my truck in VT), $50 in food, a flight I never used, and countless waited time. What are they going to do about it? How are they going to get my bag back to me? It has a name tag. I really need some good answers.
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