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January 13, 2007
The Delta of JetBlue
In a previous life of blogging, I was one of the first to sing JetBlue's praises.
Jet Blue has always had Delta in its sights if your read Blues Streak or any of the articles about them in the early years.
Today I want to tell you that Delta is being emulated by JetBlue.
I have ended up with damaged bags, delayed flights, but more often than not the way I feel they are resembling Delta is in the Nickle and Diming of me for every change. I had a flight credit due to my not going to CES. Its been swallowed up in their working with me on changes in my flight iternaries.
Worse yet, my Free Flight which I was going to use to bring my wife with the me to Vegas, is now an albatross on my neck. Change fees flight changes that I have to put in place due to placeholding it.
When free stuff costs its makes you feel really abused.
All of that is just flight related. Now the real issue.
JFK Terminal Six.
They are in process of constructing a new terminal at the old TWA site. But they have destroyed the parking lot, closed elevators for repairs that take you to the airtrain, had some problems with user identification on the self - checkin terminals and made the experience with personnel less friendly.
I am frequently waking up in the morning at 4 AM to take the 6 AM flight and get into the office at 9 AM. I rent a car sometimes and then I take the last flight out at 10 PM because that is the only flight I am guaranteed to get if I work a full day in our Beverly office. If I try to take an earlier flight and miss it JetBlue charges me and often the fair difference is in their favor by a considerable amount. Nickle and Dimed, I then all to often end up at the temporary terminal at JFK with no exit for folks like me who have baggage, so I am on a shuttle to get out of the maze at JFK. With 6 no longer a parking lot I take the airtrain to my car. Last night I waited 45 minutes in line to pay the parking fee (WITH EASY PASS!).
When I got home from JFK at 11:45 PM last night, I made up my mind that the train and my car would be methods of communiting to Boston for next few months.
JetBlue, has gone from the cute baby to either a terrible two or a rebellious teen treating its passengers like its parent.
I will try them again in March, if I can find a way to use my free ticket.
Maybe they will have matured with age.
Posted by carl at January 13, 2007 11:01 AM
Comments
Carl,
I wonder if it is a JFK thing. On a trip back from Europe, I came through JFK on my way to Boston. It was on Delta. I got in at 3:00pm, and was told there was a 30 minute delay for my 4:15pm flight to Boston. At 9:00pm there was almost a revolt against the gate staff which would not say any reason why there were constant delays. There final announcement to us at 9pm was that the flight is cancelled.
Never again will I connect through JFK.
Posted by: Glenn at January 14, 2007 07:01 PM
JFK is certainly a piece of it. Normally in the NY area LaGuardia is the first to close, and JFK is the last. However, it is always a priority to get the International flights in and handle the domestic travel last.
Posted by: Carl Ford at January 14, 2007 08:54 PM