JetBlue Headaches Continue After Storm

Saturday And Sunday Flights Canceled In 11 Airports Following Winter Storm Chaos

(AP)  JetBlue, still reeling from a Valentine's Day snowstorm that forced hundreds of canceled and delayed flights, canceled a quarter of its weekend flights Saturday in an extraordinary effort to get back on some semblance of a normal schedule.

"JetBlue is taking this aggressive, unprecedented action to end rolling delays and cancellations, and to operate a new schedule reliably," the New York-based carrier said in a statement posted on its Web site.

All Saturday and Sunday flights on JetBlue were canceled in and out of 11 airports: Richmond, Va.; Pittsburgh; Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Austin and Houston, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville; Portland, Me.; and Bermuda.

As of 6 p.m., about 170 flights had been called off, out of about 600 scheduled for the weekend.

The decision to dramatically reduce operations followed days of chaos at the airline's terminals, triggered by a Wednesday snow and ice storm that grounded jets at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

As the weekend began the airline was still having trouble getting flight crews in place. Passengers grew increasingly irate.

"There's screaming matches and fights going on between the passengers and the workers," one customer, Amanda MacKenzie, 21, said at JFK on Friday.

Baggage handlers also struggled to deal with the mountain of luggage that had been dropped off by passengers, but returned to the terminals because of the cancellations. Some passengers complained that they couldn't leave the airport, even after their flights were canceled, because no one could find their bags.

JetBlue's service hot lines also became overwhelmed by people trying to rebook flights.

JetBlue Airways Corp. spokeswoman Alison Eshelman said the airline hoped to put a stop to the angry confrontations by telling passengers far in advance that their plane wouldn't be flying.

No flights have been canceled yet on Monday.

"And obviously, the focus is not to cancel them," Eshelman said.

Affected customers may receive refunds or rebook their flights, the airline said.

The airline said it initially tried to get its system back to normal by selectively canceling flights Thursday and Friday, but long delays continued as a result of constraints that included a one-runway operation at JFK on Thursday, and flight crews burning through the number of hours they are legally allowed to work before taking a rest.

Part of JetBlue's strategy in the new round of cancellations has been to ground most of its smaller Embraer 190 jets and transfer crews to its larger Airbus A320s.

[sharncedar]

Nothing will change as long as Congress and business leaders have private jets.

A nation is like a person; it has a brain which is the leaders who make decisions and a body which is the workers and citzens who keep things running. If a person's brain is disconnected from their body, so that they don't feel pain, that condition is often fatal. Infections develop that aren't treated, the person will hurt themselves and not notice the damage.

In recent times, our country has become like one of these disconnected people. Our leadership is isolated from our problems; they don't feel our pain. If 100,000 auto workers get laid off, they hear it is happening, but they feel nothing. If Americans are trapped like rats on a plane, they hear about it, bu they don't feel it. This kind of leadership can't be effective. It's not enough to hear in a disconnected manner about the problems of the nation, and make half-hearted attmepts to soothe people. They have to feel it in their guts, to be as afraid as we are, to be as ashamed as we are, to feel what we feel, and the only way that happens is if they share the same roads, planes, buildings, schools, and communities with us.

[crystalblue3]

JetBlue has always been my favorite airline because of how they treat they're customers. I'm surprised they let this happen.

[crystalblue3]

Sorry. Grammatical error. And one I HATE too:

THEIR

[bigwhtpony]

They should have flown Air Pelosi! :)

[mitch0927]

Just drive a car and enjoy what the country has to offer. Check the weather and see if it is a possibility that flights will be delayed and or cancelled. It does suck when you have to sit in a plane for that amount of time before take off and I do feel a little sympathy for the passengers that had to endure all that wait time. Especially the people that have medical needs. Look at the nations airports and tell me that there are more people flying than usual from the airports that were built several years ago when there were fewer flyers.

[mitch0927]

And if you're forced to stay somewhere you're not wanting to stay, then I would consider that kidnapping. And good grief, why would anyone want to fly when the weather is going to be bad. Forcasters had said that there will be ice and snow that day......if you want to live in the fast lane, then you have to take what is given you in all cases, good and bad.

[nolalou]

I always liked JetBlue and was sorry to hear the way passingers were treated, having to sit on the plane for 11 hours, within site of the terminal! JetBlue claims they coudn't return to the terminal because the tires were frozen to the tarmac, and they couldn't let passingers walk back, because there were no stairs available, since they were frozen too! I don't know if this is entirly JetBlue's fault or if some of the blame should be shared by the airport! There has to be some way to get passingers off the plane in cases like this! 11 hours is not acceptable!

SharnCedar, most members of congress do not fly in private jets. Only the Speaker is entitled to fly that way, which was recomended after the 9/11 attacks. I agree some politicians feel disconected from the rest of us, but I don't think we need to lock them up in a plane for 11 hours for them to get the point. (Ok, I admit, there are some I would like to lock up, and for more than 11 hours!)

[susanhelit]

Pelosi has flown commercial with all the rest of us, and all the rest of Congress for all her time in Congress, and would still be doing so - but the Seargant at Arms convinced her to go along with their security precautions, introduced by Hastert.

I'm not sure why that much flying, which all of Congress must do (as anyone with a job away from their home must do), hasn't already induced Congress to do something - but hopefully this time they'll make some real changes.

[susanhelit]

The problem is that the airlines management doesn't treat us like people - we're just luggage, to be loaded on and off as is most useful to them and their profits. An airline exec would never accept this treatment, but they'll leave policies and managers in place who make these decisions.

Let's see the idiot who decided that the people on the planes could stay there for 5 hours (5 hours is too long - 3 hours is too long, let alone 11!) get FIRED! And if he was just following policy, then let's see them go up the chain, and get rid of the idiots who approved the policy. If some gear is frozen - heck, find a way to thaw it, or to let people walk to the terminal. It's almost inhumane to make people sit in those tight seats in that little tube during a long flight, it's doubly so to have them sitting there with no fresh air, going nowhere.

[mitch0927]

recent Newsweek poll alleges that 67% of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69% of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the ape-like knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4% of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

[mitch0927]

aybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70% of Americans who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents.
Neighborhoods where 90% of
teenagers own cell phones and computers.

[mitch0927]

ow about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?
Maybe that is what has
67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are.
The most blessed
people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31% approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

[mitch0927]

So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69% of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads, and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they were going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did, how he would do it . Insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country.
There is exponentially more good than bad.

[mitch0927]

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C.
Forbes in 1953:

''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States , 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy

[mitch0927]

humancitizen,

Sounds like you have issues yourself. The bullying part is in another section, and I don't have a brother.

[cgesualdo]

Mitch - just because we enjoy a lot of freedoms and a lot of other "stuff" does not make it okay for airlines to hold us hostage on their planes. Kidnapping is kidnapping. This is not us being spoiled brats.

As for you "humancitizen(?)," I sure hope CBS shuts off your account. Your profanity has no place here.

[mitch0927]

cgesualdo,

You are correct, and I stated that also on a previous page. It is just something I have noticed a lot lately and I voiced my opinion about everyone complaining about the US, I just used the wrong section, for that I apologize to everyone who was and will be stuck on a plane for hours at a time. I even used the word kidnapped in one of my statements.

[ramos937]

I own my own company and to me, my customers are extremely important. There was no excuse for JetBlue to hold passengers beyound 2-3 hours on the plane waiting for takeoff. Consider this, if I am unhappy with JetBlue, then I try never to fly again with it. Not only that but I tell my storey to as many folks as I can and they lose those customers. No wonder the airlines lose money year after year. They have lost sight of the fact that the passengers are their customers.

[bildooreilly]

Hey Mitch, did you know that firefighters themselves are the most common arsonists? Go do a search for Firefighter Arson and read all about it, and while you're reading that I hope nobody breaks into your home because it's going to take that super roboto cop a long time to show up, and you better have a gun to deal with a situation like that yourself should it ever arise.

While cops and especially firefighters can be nice to have around once in awhile lets not forget that's their job that they're paid to do. You talk them up like they're some sort of extraordinairy super heroes always there at a seconds notice to save the day when usually they're loafing around on the public dime and in many cases totally corrupt and crooked themselves.

[bildooreilly]

I stopped flying after they banned cigarette lighters, that was the final straw for me. Hey and if you take saran wrap into the bathroom with you and put it over the smoke alarm they'll never knew you had a few puffs in there, used to do it all the time.. fvck these airlines, I'd walk first nowdays.

[germanmom]

Jet Blue has been a favorite of mine. It's too bad this happened. No other airlines had this problem? The airport certainly carries part of the blame.

I would have opened the door at hour 3 and gotten off the plane - tohell with homeland security (fargin-euopean-comunist-crack-laden-nazi-police)

[cvan3]

I feel for the people stuck on this plane, but the blame must be on global warming. I'm sure that Al Gore has a solution for the airline industry that he can perhaps explain in his next science fiction movie. For more on political correctness run amok in our society visit www.christophervan.com

[bill-e-bong]

How odd that someone would turn this very unfortunate event into a political slam on Al Gore. Well, perhaps it's not so odd after all. Some folks would blame the democrats if the sun rose in the west.

That being said, we definitely need laws that govern these situations. Perhaps the democratically controlled congress will be able to help us out there.

[ecuadoriana]

Whoa, that is really scary. Isn't there a law about holding captive innocent people? Isn't that called something like "false imprisonment"? Isn't that like a felony or something? I know that if I held some of my customers captive in a tin can w/out food, water, bathroom access, medical attention, or hope for escape, I would probably be looking at a possible life sentence- worse if one of my customers died while under my captive care.

It's one thing to be stuck on the ground in the terminal because flights are delayed due to weather conditions or mechanical problems, but it's another to be in the plane stuck like that! When I've had flights delayed, for my safety, I am grateful to be "trapped" in the aeroport rather than be in the air- trapped in the middle of a storm. At least in the terminal I can move around, leave, eat at one of the over priced restaurants call some friends & complain. At least then I'm alive to complain!

There is absolutely no excuse (homeland security my foot!) for treating people like this.

[markbrookhar]

If the plane doesn't depart within 45 minutes of the departure time, AND if the airline doesn't get you to the tranfer point in time to catch your next flight, it is in breach of contract with you and should refund you the price of your trip AND give you a free flight of choice minimum! If they don't give you a certain reasonable standard of service (like any other business) you shouldn't have to deal with them. To hold you on board when you want to get off is kidnapping if the plane isn't in the process of flight- ie. taxi, take-off, flight, landing or taxi.

[jenmarie44]

ecuadoriana,

You make it out like they were being held in a cage with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. They had food, they had water, they had restroom access. If there were to be a medical emergency I guarantee you it would have been taken care of. Sure it wasn't a 5 course meal, FIJI water, the biggest and best bathrooms or even a top rated Hospital Facility, but it was something. I'm not agreeing with what happened in this situation but I do believe it wasn't as bad as you make it out to be. When people make things out to be so much worse than they actually were it doesn't help others to get an accurate view of the situation therefore causing others to misconstrue a situation.

[hawksprings]

JenMarie, you gotta admit 10 hours inside an airplane cabin would be pretty miserable. Especially if they are having to open the doors to get fresh air in every once in awhile.
I can't believe a fight didn't break out or something.

[sharncedar]

But the point is that the elites, the people who created the current insane airport system, don't ever put up with even 15 minutes of inconvenience. That is why they are so "productive" and therefore worth $100 million per year or whatever. Because they have skewed society so that they get all the breaks, they get easy trips, easy times, controlled and safe environments, and we get treated like cattle, which further degrades our ability to challenge them for the cushy positions.

If you put up with this ten hour Hell, and say its no big deal, then your kids, and your kids' kids, will have to put up with 30 hour ***, or week long captivities, or being raped by their rich boss, or whatever. When you act tolerant and complacent like some dumb cattle, you'll get treated like cattle. if you put up with 10 hours without giving back some of the Hell to the rich and powerful, you gonna get 12 hours next time.

I don't appreciate Americans who are worthless cowards and put up with this kind of treatment; it hurts all of us. You have an obligation to fight like the dickens for your rights, cause you're fighting for mine too.

[traveler4too]

JenMarie,

Maybe you consider a bag of potato chips as food, but I am sure that the people on the plane didn't. You obviously did not read all the reports about only 1 bottle of water and overflowing toilets that people were told to stop using on some of the planes. There are not too many planes that have any food at all except if you happen to be flying first class at a normal meal time. The rest of the coach passengers have to buy food from the airline. The last time I bought something to eat, it was only a muffin available. Oh, don't forget, you aren't allowed to take your own water on board with you any more... something about the security ***.... not being safe to but something in the airport and take on the plane.

[rudy654-2009]

"They had food, they had water, they had restroom access. If there were to be a medical emergency I guarantee you it would have been taken care of."

Dear JenMarie44 - It sounds like you need to go spend 11 hours confined to an overcrowded plane. When you do that, please get back with us. Otherwise, it gets tiresome listening to people like you justify this mess. Five course meal, you're a real laugh! NOT!

[nothappyatall]

"and we get treated like cattle, .."

You all ARE like dumb cattle putting up with this krap! I haven't flown on an airplane in almost ten years and I refuse to ever get on a plane again. I had a flight on United that they allowed only about 5 minutes for a connecting flight in SF, well naturally I missed the connecting flight and had to spend hours waiting on a standby to Chicago and then to NY. Meanwhile my bag went on ahead on the original plane. When I eventually arrived guess what- the bag was not there, so I had to go buy everything I needed that was in the bag and had to wear dirty clothes back to the airport the next day and wait for several hours for the baggage area to be unlocked so I could get the bag and my clothes.
The whole fiasco also cost me $100 for a cab to Long Island because I was so late and the cab was the only way.

I was pissed and put up a web site and emailed United and said they should reimburse me for my expenses and I filed a claim for $125 back from the $500+ ticket.
Dolts on a forum said I'd never get anything as the delay was "weather related" but allowing only 5 minutes for a connecting flight that was way over on the other end of the airport is SHODDY SCHEDULING and their fault.

[nothappyatall]

I emailed United daily and pointed them to my expose' site, and then about 3 months later a check came in the mail for a FULL refund. So I won against the corporate machine.
In any case I won't fly, the planes are OLD, falling apart and the first thing to go in tight budgets in maintenance, and now with the dumb sheeple being herded thru airport security checks, delays, invasion of privacy etc- the hell with it.

[sallyannny]

I was on a Jet Blue flight that was cancelled on Feb. 14 and on the runway for about 5 hours. The pilot and co-pilot kept us up to date on all that was happening and that was greatly appreciated. When we finally got to a gate, we were told we could get off, get our luggage and cancel the flight or wait to see if another plane would be leaving. All in all Jet Blue did what they could do make the situation as easy as possible and they have been more than fair with explaining cancellation policies and free round trip tickets. The weather was certainly not their fault and people knew they could not get on another flight until Tues, so why on earth did they bombard the airport over the next several days to try to get on non existant flights.

[ramos937]

JenMarie44 you speak of something you know nothing off....The original report stated that the bathrooms clogged up and were unusuable; they ran out of food and wanter except for some chips. They had to open a door from time to time to allow fresh air.

The folks JetBlue "imprisoned" were not criminals. They were ordinary USA citizens. JetBlue is not alone in this behavior. What it will take will be a few good class action lawsuits and/or hefty settlements. Together with the terrible press, this could sink the airline. Then the airlines will rapidly correct the problem.

[godcares4u2]

I am disgusted by the News coverage on jetBlue. It is totally biased and does not cover all the facts. Nobody is talking about the mess that the Aiport Authorities created by:
1. Closing the runways.
2. Not clearing the ramp from ice.
3. Not assisting in securing the bags.

jetBlue is atleast attempting to compensate the customers? What are the Airport Authorities doing ?

Does anyone know that JFK Airport prioritized International Flights over domestic ? Has anyone taken pictures of the ramp? Does anyone realize that jetblue staff had been working 24-48hrs at a stretch to help their customers. Does anyone know that jetBlue accepted the blame and did not cop out ?

It's a shame that our Tax dollars have gone into helping foreign airlines get off the ground and left our domestic needs in shambles ? Does this ring a bell ?

Its easy to criticize a competitively priced arline offering the best rates and yell at their staff who have been working day and night. Why don't you do a press coverage of what the Aiport Authorities are doing to the American population.

Take some pictures of the ramp. People are walking over ice to support the flights.

Maybe you can do some positive coverage of the Airline that has brought "Humanity back into travel"