Video: JetBlue COO Rob Maruster Issues Mea Culpa for Stranded Flights

[NYCA News]

NYCAviation:

Video: JetBlue COO Rob Maruster Issues Mea Culpa for Stranded Flights (http://nycaviation.com/2011/11/video-jetblue-coo-rob-maruster-issues-mea-culpa-for-stranded-flights/)

JetBlue Airways Chief Operating Officer Rob Maruster on Tuesday appeared in a company video apologizing for the airline's several stranded flights on Saturday, emphasizing that the airline was focused on safety.
[Click to Read Full Article (http://nycaviation.com/2011/11/video-jetblue-coo-rob-maruster-issues-mea-culpa-for-stranded-flights/)]

[PhilDernerJr]

He looks nervous. Almost like it was only vaguely outlined and he was winging it.

JetBlue caught a lot of slack for being silent for a couple days after the Valentine's Day incident back in 07, until Neeleman started making talk show appearances. This seems like Maruster did the right thing, but I feel it lacked the punch necessary and was a little too brief.

[gonzalu]

When these things happen, IMMEDIATE action is required on the part of the company. NO EXCUSES. I have not had a horrible experience with jetBlue but it shows its kinks from time to time which is a shame. Pilots are great, flight attendants are great, team leads on any flight are superb! But I think in some respects, they un a very lean business that if everythign is working well, is perfectly tuned and balanced. If the sun is blocked and there is wet stuff on the ground, it can really stress them. My only issue ever was a flight cancellation to D.R. where there was no crew to fly another plane and I ended up begging them to put me on another fligth to another city and I would just drive back to my original destination. The workers at the T5 terminal were completely overwhelmed and unable to help at all. Myself and other pax simply figured it out on our own and just kept the pressure on until we got seats on alternate flights. Otherwise I would have not made it to my destination at all if up to them.

Not a stab at JetBlue as I like them and still fly them regularly. I wish they have the sense to have upper management IMMEDIATELY take over a situation and accept any responsibility openly and offer rewards... When Kodak was still king of film, they would offer you ONLY a free can of film for anything that may have gone wrong with the film or the processing etc. As little as that seemed in exchange for lost images, it simply was as much as they could offer but it was enough.

[PhilDernerJr]

I've used Jetblue a LOT this year, and I've liked them a lot. I have a lot of friends there and I enjoy the overall culture of the airline.

However, one of my few criticisms of JetBlue is that their customer service fix for everything seems to be a generic $50 voucher. "Have a $100 problem? Here's a $50 voucher, there's nothing more we can do." It becomes very impersonal and still makes me feel as though my problem wasn't addressed. If an airline (or ANY company in any industry) wants my business, and wants to secure it over time through thick and thin, then I want genuine accountability, and the flexibility to correct the problem instead of throwing a pre-packed $50 voucher around like they have a pile of gift cards sitting on their desk. It makes me feel like they're saying "Yeah, yeah, here's your gift card. Whatever your problem was, just make sure you use your gift card on a future flight." A refund is never an option, just a discount assuming we want to fly them again.

[moose135]

A refund is never an option, just a discount assuming we want to fly them again.
"Sorry we ruined your day, but here's a coupon for the next time you spend your money with us..."

Which is worthless unless you are going to spend more money with them.

[NIKV69]

Phil makes good points. I also want to add that using the COO is not a good move IMO. People want to hear from the top when something like this happens. Also their COO is not comfortable in front of the camera and it showed in that video. As for compensation I didn't hear the specifics but if I was the CEO they would have had their fare for that flight refunded and not a voucher but a round trip flight on the house.This not only serves to pacify them but gets them back on one of your aircraft in the future.

[PhilDernerJr]

I agree that regardless of where blame may or may not lie in this situation, that all pax should receive full refunds and get a free flight. I think that's best for PR.

[gonzalu]

For the simplest of mistakes, my local "Old School" Italian restaurant near me gives you the meal on the house. We sometimes joke with the owner that he makes no money to which he kindly replies: Every free meal you get from us is two fully paid ones in the future. Funny he says that but I go there BECAUSE I know they will make sure the meal is perfect or it's free. It is NOT the policy, it is not written on the menu or on the walls or nothing, it is just he way it is. And hardly ever do you have to complain. It is just normal business. The OWNER is there, so are the two brothers and they genuinely like the service part of the business. Not the greatest Italian food but it makes up for it in service.

KLM once lost my bags on the way to AMS and they quickly apologized. Once they could not locate them in time (took over 12 hours to find them and another 12 to deliver them to my hotel in Munich :-( ) They upgraded me to First Class from MUC to AMS and then from AMS to JFK. Granted this was almost 10 years ago but, it was impressive customer service. I asked for nothing. They were always one step ahead of me complaining at all. Throughout the ordeal, I had calls on my cell phone from local agents in Germany as well as Amsterdam and also go a call from a manager (not sure where). Even the driver who delivered the bags to my hotel insisted in waiting to speak to me personally to apologize and thank me for my business. Who does that?

Last time I lost bags domestically was on Continental, (airline which I loved before merger with United) and they did not even call me... the bags just showed up at my hotel bellhop out of the blue... Virgin America also has pretty good service and most impressive in the last 10 years was a small flight from SFO to SEA on Horizon... AMAZING customer service... the friendliest staff! I wanted a simple receipt for my overweight luggage (had to pay a little extra) and when the printer at the counter wouldn;t print, the girl who took care of me tells me: "Follow Me" I was flabbergasted.

I followed her through a couple of doors to a back office where about 10 people we passed greeted me and smiled and what not. Went to another printer to retrieve my receipt and got a bit of history on my assistant's life in San Fran ... I am still shocked by that personal level of attention. And a thank you with eye contact!!!!! ha! Eye contact, what a novel idea...

[PhilDernerJr]

Amazing story! I will ALWAYS go out of my way and spend the extra dollar to give my business to the place that earns and truly WANTS it. For the opposite, I will go out of my way to let others know how much they suck.

[Matt Molnar]

As for compensation I didn't hear the specifics but if I was the CEO they would have had their fare for that flight refunded and not a voucher but a round trip flight on the house.
I did hear they got refunds for the flight. Haven't heard about any other compensation, but a free flight wouldn't surprise me. Not only do they have to win over those customers, but the DOT as well.