JetBlue Passengers Describe Airport Tarmac Ordeal

[Midnight Mike]

Feb 15, 2007 4:10 am US/Pacific

JetBlue Passengers Describe Airport Tarmac Ordeal
Planes Were Grounded For 10 Hours Or More At JFK International

(AP) QUEENS, N.Y. Jet Blue Airlines apologized late Wednesday to dozens of passengers who were kept sitting on planes at New York's JFK International Airport for 10 hours or more without ever taking off, reports Andrew Kirtzman of WCBS-TV, the CBS affiliate in New York.

The airline said half of its 550 flights were cancelled because of a winter storm that also caused massive traffic and transit delays throughout the Tri-State area.

Ten JetBlue flights, however, were loaded with passengers on board. Some made it to the runways only to run into icing problems that kept them grounded. Some of the planes at the gate became frozen to the ground and passengers weren't able to disembark.

One couple told WCBS-TV they thought they were about to honeymoon in Aruba. Others said were dreaming of the sun and warm waters of Cancun. Instead, many described they felt like hostages being held on the tarmac.

"We had very limited toilet usage while we were on the plane," said Elizabeth Regale, who logged 10 hours of what she described as hell on a trip to nowhere.

"To sit on a plane for that long to be pulled into a gate for nine hours was horrible," said another passenger.

Early Thursday morning, the airline's Web site warned that other "flights to and from New York City (JFK, LaGuardia, Stewart and Newark, NJ), Boston, Washington D.C. and Upstate New York (Rochester and Buffalo) may be delayed or canceled." It urged passengers to check the status of their flight before heading to their local airports.

JetBlue's apology said anyone stuck on one of its flights for more than three hours Wednesday would receive a full refund and a free roundtrip ticket for a future flight.

Some, however, were in no mood to accept that apology.

"Disorganized. No one knows anything. It's all chaos," one passenger said.

[Matt Molnar]

Currently the top headline on Drudge. Not a good day to be a jetBlue PR rep.

[RDU-JFK]

I'm sure this answer was addressed in another thread, but I just don't understand--the weather was so poor and it wasn't getting better. Why couldn't they return to the gate after 3 or 4 hours??

[T-Bird76]

Last night I sat on the ramp for four hours as cargo was loaded on our plane. They said because of the ice it was hard to load the containers, then we waited an hour for deicing finally lifting off at 2:15 AM. However Cathy Pacific made everyone very comfortable, hot towels for all, free drinks, snacks, and allowed free movement around the cabin. I'm not surprised by jetBlue's actions, honestly their service has been going downhill for the past year and half. There is big disconnect between front line employees and management there and its showing.

[PhilDernerJr]

I'm surprised that an airline that operates a dialy flight somewhere would hold up a plane for cargo. I'm sure it couldbe that it accounts for most of their money ont he flight or if they know they would never have room for it on the next flight out, but to hold up passenger for four hours seems like their priorities should be different.

[Matt Molnar]

I'm sure this answer was addressed in another thread, but I just don't understand--the weather was so poor and it wasn't getting better. Why couldn't they return to the gate after 3 or 4 hours??

I'm guessing the gates were occupied. Still, do something. With jetBlue's track record of going out of their way to make customers happy during difficult circumstances (i.e. during the 2003 blackout they had a few Mister Softee trucks come to JFK to cheer up the passengers sitting in their un-air-conditioned terminal), this is very disappointing.

[mirrodie]

Just an observation, but it's interesting to see that an LCC like Jblue is actually prone to pain, just like the legacy carriers.


"You see, he's not a machine!" -Rocky IV

[RDU-JFK]

"You see, he's not a machine!" -Rocky IV

hahaha "I break you".

[mirrodie]

Oh and another thought:

Where was Neelman during all this? He is usually notorious for being on the aircraft and mixing and mingling with passengers. THis is a good thing.

Perhaps if he had been doing that on the planes on the tarmac, it might have lessened the blow.

[T-Bird76]

I'm surprised that an airline that operates a dialy flight somewhere would hold up a plane for cargo. I'm sure it couldbe that it accounts for most of their money ont he flight or if they know they would never have room for it on the next flight out, but to hold up passenger for four hours seems like their priorities should be different.

The funny thing that cargo from a revenue standpoint is worth more then the passenger revenue, I guess there are contracts and what not that have to be honored. Evergreen does Cathy's ground handling and they looked like clowns on the ramp, doing dounuts, BSing in the snow and ice.

[Matt Molnar]

Oh and another thought:

Where was Neelman during all this? He is usually notorious for being on the aircraft and mixing and mingling with passengers. THis is a good thing.

Perhaps if he had been doing that on the planes on the tarmac, it might have lessened the blow.

I don't think the CEO being there would make me forget I was sitting on a stank plane for 10 hours. Even after three hours I would probably be pretty livid.

[mirrodie]

Very true. But it might have given the perception of caring if this particular CEO was out amongst the masses, as he usually is ;)

[Matt Molnar]

They're in full damage-control mode it seems. They've changed their weather policy for this storm twice already today. By the end of tomorrow I think they might be letting everyone fly free!

• Yesterday at 10:40am, they announced that anyone flying in the Northeast on February 14th could rebook and travel through the 16th.
• Today at 3:25am, they announced anyone flying jetBlue anywhere today could rebook without penalty to travel through March 20th, or convert their ticket to a credit for future travel.
• As of 10 minutes ago, they are offering anyone flying jetBlue today through Monday the option of rebooking for travel through May 22nd, or converting their ticket to a credit.

[Matt Molnar]

AGAIN: A jetBlue PIT-JFK flight has been stuck on the tarmac at PIT for at least seven hours due to "frozen brakes." Passengers might be deplaned soon, according to a report.

[mirrodie]

I found this funny...

from CBS Late Show w David Letterman
Thursday, February 15, 2007

Top Ten JetBlue Excuses
Top Ten



10. 10-hour delay? Hey, that's actually pretty good for us

9. It could have been worse... No, wait, it couldn't

8. We don't have an excuse right now, but sit here for ten hours while we come up with one

7. Hey, it takes that long to open a bag of airline peanuts, am I right, ladies and gentleman?

6. You gotta admit, after 6 hours it became a little funny

5. It's still better than flying Delta

4. There was a monster on the wing!!!

3. (No number 3 -- writer still stuck on the plane)

2. Who could leave New York in the middle of Ventriloquist Week?

1. Pilots too drunk to fly