Feeling BLUE on Vday

When we talked about  operational strategy and ethics, what came it to my mind was this article that I had read in my hospitality class about JetBlue airlines.   In this article, it talked about how JetBlue airlines had emphasis on providing the “JetBlue Experience” but when it came to the winter storm that hit the Midwest and Northeast on February 14, 2007, the experience wasn’t implemented.

The “JetBlue Experience” consists of value, service, and style.  Taking flight with JetBlue you will be provided with what JetBlue calls a low-cost, high quality service.   Their service differentiation is they let your first checked bag flies for free and the layout of the plane is developed where comfort is offered to their customers with wider seats, more legroom, space for storage.  JetBlue passengers get to watch 36 channels of DIRECTV, newly release films, and music station.   JetBlue provides their passengers with brand name amenities and provide wine.  The JetBlue Experience is mainly an experience that you would have at other high price airfares but at a low cost or what they express in their website as the “best fare guarantee.”

The issue that JetBlue faced in 2007 is a severe snow storm affected JetBlue’s operations.  Their reaction to the snow storm got in the way of what they were known for and that is service.  What JetBlue did wrong was acting as if the snow storm wouldn’t get in the way of their operations and instead of canceling flights (like other airlines) they still boarded their passengers in hopes that there would be a possibility there would be a slight break from the storm so the planes can use the runways.  Instead, they didn’t get a break from the storm and therefore since the planes were already at the gates for departure at the runway they were stuck at the runways.  Passengers weren’t allowed to exit the plane and was held captive in the plane for 10+ hours with very little food and drinks.  It took 10+ hours to hear a response of from operations on what JetBlue was going to do next and JetBlue finally decided to get the passengers and members rescued.  Others would think that the winter storm is responsible for this but I believe it is the David Neeleman’s, CEO and Founder, responsibility to have taken initiative.  It should be his responsibility to have himself or someone else trained enough to know what are morally right operations and flight decisions.

In response to this Crisis, David Neeleman formed the Customers’ Bill of rights.  I believe the Customers’ Bill of Rights is a good start from recovering their mistake.  The Customer’s Bill of Rights should have been done from the start to have cancellations based on uncontrollable factors so that passengers are aware.  This action will help the company regain customer loyalty but probably not as much as before.  This customer bill of rights do list what JetBlue will offer if cancellations or delays happen to passenger flights but it does not show what they would do for customer safety when it comes to uncontrollable factors.  I believe JetBlue should have included in their Customer bill of Rights document an idea of what they plan to do if an uncontrollable factor like the snow storm happens again.  I believe they should have explained to customers what they thought they should have done and shouldn’t have done and what they would do in the future if it were to happen again.  They should of have set back up plans on incidents like these so that issues, like unable to use ground equipment to tow planes because it was frozen in place, wouldn’t get in the way of peoples safety.  Providing high quality service is not only based on the prices and what brand you can give it is also based on having to provide the quality of safety for your consumers too.

Winter storms is an uncontrollable factor, do you think JetBlue operations were on the wrong for trying to beat the storm by boarding passengers?

 

REFERENCE ARTICLES:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17166299/ns/travel-news/t/jetblue-apologizes-after-passengers-stranded/#.T-yl01IXJpk

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/30/snow-storm-strands-jetblu_n_1066019.html

http://www.jetblue.com/flying-on-jetblue/customer-protection/

One thought on “Feeling BLUE on Vday

  1. This seems like a very interesting article. I have never heard the story before nor have I ever flown JetBlue. While reading your report I was shocked that the company decided to board their plane during a huge snow storm. I think all people know that it is almost like protocol to cancel flights during bad weather. It is extremely dangerous to fly and I also think that is gives a wrong message from the company to it’s customers because the customers trust the company knows what it is doing and that if they are going to fly the plane it must mean it is safe. Being stuck on the runway for ten plus hours with no guidance as to what to do is absolutely not okay. The plane should never have left the gate and the flight should have been cancelled. This is not good operations at all and it would disappoint me as a customer if I had experienced this.

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