Another one bites the dust
It seems that a major company which I have previously raved about is having some, let us say, issues this week. As a matter of fact, Brother2 is “trapped” in Florida due to these issues. Yes, it’s JetBlue, my favorite airline. It’s so rare to rave about a consumer product or service these days, especially a service (hello, AT&T? Time Warner? Fucking Verizon????), that it always felt like it couldn’t last. And now, the ride is over.
I mean, I guess I could continue to love JetBlue based on the fact that nothing has affected me so far, which is my usual standard of judging things (nuclear bomb? hasn’t hurt me so far, ok then). Oh, the comfy seats, oh the friendly staff, oh the satellite TV right in your seat… oooooh, aaaaah…. and the prices, it’s almost cheaper than NJ Transit! But, you know, as I said, all good things must come to an end and things seemed to implode this week, as five days after two inches of snow fell, they still can’t seem to get it together. Sure, they seem very, very sorry and that does take them one step beyond every other airline, who never seem to be sorry in the least for anything (can you hear me, Air France? bon) but I’m guessing that doesn’t sway your opinion much after you’ve been waiting on the tarmac for seven hours or your flight’s been canceled for the third time.
I suppose I could have foreseen this problem based on the cavalier way the JetBlue staff always seemed to treat the phrase “on time.”
Me: Do you think we’ll really be leaving on time? Boarding time is in 3 minutes and I don’t even see a plane out there.
JetBlue lady: Yes, we’ll be pushing back exactly on time. Headphones?
And so it went. But who could mind? They have XM Satellite Radio! And fun snacks! And live TV! Remember that time the JetBlue flight had landing gear trouble and all the people on the flight got to watch their own plane on TV? What other airline would allow that? But for the first time ever, I see people on TV saying “I’ll never fly JetBlue again.” Oh, the humanity. But that’s OK, if you read Consumerist, you know that once a week someone says that about every airline. I myself have vowed never to fly either Delta or United again and now I have frequent flyer accounts at both. I also have a $400 credit at Delta so if I die before it expires in November, I’m having my coffin flown to Amsterdam.
The only thing I hate about JetBlue is how I used to be able to fly cheaply on them to Seattle when I lived in Boston, but I can’t do that now that most of my trips are Seattle-DC.
All I can hope is that their prices will go down while they’re trying to repair the damage.
I had to go research Jet Blue. Turns out, I don’t know anything much about it because I’d have to pass two perfectly good airports to fly them out of Dulles. I wish it were otherwise, though. I’d like a comfy chair and a TV.
Becca, I did learn, though, that for a mere $39 each way (plus all the add-ons, of course), you could fly to your choice of Rochester, NY, Burlington, VT, or Portland, ME. What more could a gal ask for in February?
I’ll assume that if you don’t respond right away, it’s because you’re busy packing. Don’t forget long underwear. And lots and lots of socks.
If you choose Burlingon, VT, say “hi” to my cousin Robin.
Wait, no, maybe she lives in Bennington, NY.
They fly to all the best places!
But I did get an apology e-mail from them today, even though I haven’t been hurt in any way. I’m going to pretend it’s from Air France.
Sarpon, I didn’t know there was a Bennington, NY, so I Googled and Wikipedia-ed. Turns out there is a Bennington, NY, and it’s named after Bennington, VT. Who knew? (Well, I suppose you did.)
You gotta be pretty small to be naming yourself after Bennington, VT (pop. approx. 15,000), and hoping to be just like it when you grow up some day.
I can’t comment because I haven’t flown anywhere since 1993.