Jetblue does it again...

[vacationclub]

For those who remember the Valanetines Day 2007 debacle from Jetblue, this might be interesting. While Jetblue left a plane on the tarmac for 7 hours this weekend in CT, the pilot of that plane was pleading over the radio for help, from anyone, not just his own company, for a tow to the gate. Eventually another non-Jetblue crew rescued the plane, othewise it seems it might have taken even longer. Jetblue seems to have problems handling these kinds of things, and the crew seemed to acknowledge this openly to the passengers.

Get out your calculators...

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_n...blue-pilot-pleaded-for-help-from-conn-airport

 

[jlewisinsyr]

As a big fan of JetBlue, they have some serious logistic issues to work on.

That said, there is also some parts of the story that are getting less attention, like the fact that it took a signficant amount of time for customs to be available, which means, that they plane cannot let passengers into the terminal.

 

[vacationclub]

As a big fan of JetBlue, they have some serious logistic issues to work on.

That said, there is also some parts of the story that are getting less attention, like the fact that it took a signficant amount of time for customs to be available, which means, that they plane cannot let passengers into the terminal.

That actually was mentioned in this story, but has nothing to do with the Jetblue plane which didn't require customs; they were a domestic flight from FLL.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

That actually was mentioned in this story, but has nothing to do with the Jetblue plane which didn't require customs; they were a domestic flight from FLL.

It was, very low attention, but you are correct it was. Most other outlets have avoided that discussion point.

Again, I don't condone and believe JB needs to get it's act together on the logistical issues.

 

[MAH4546]

Things happen. Oh well. Far worse things to worry about.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Things happen. Oh well. Far worse things to worry about.

Sure, unless you were one of the people stuck on this plane!

 

[MAH4546]

Sure, unless you were one of the people stuck on this plane!

I've been stuck on planes for 4+ hours due to snow. I survived, so will everybody else. Airlines aren't superhuman. Things happens - suck it up and deal with it.

 

[vacationclub]

It was, very low attention, but you are correct it was. Most other outlets have avoided that discussion point.

Because it had nothing to do with the Jetblue plane, which was domestic, and didn't require customs. It required a crew to tug it to the gate or bring a ladder.

I've been stuck on planes for 4+ hours due to snow. I survived, so will everybody else. Airlines aren't superhuman. Things happens - suck it up and deal with it.

Great, but this story describes an event almost twice as long. How long are people supposed to suck it up without food or toilets while they look at the building and all the Jetblue people just a few yards away? Snowstorms happen, yes. That is no explanation for not letting people off an aircraft, which Jetblue seems to now have a historical record of doing.

It's not about survival. I don't think people are deciding if this is acceptable or not based on whether or not they are still alive.

 

[seashoreCM]

Looks to me as if the toilets got clogged with improper paper such as paper towels.

Doesn't the plane have a small engine (auxiliary power unit) in the tail to generate electricity and keep the air conditioning and lights on?

The plane should have been "serviced" with food, water, toilet paper, etc., probably with the captain's decision if headquarters hasn't come up with a solution in a short time limit.

 

[sam_gordon]

It required a crew to tug it to the gate or bring a ladder.

One thing I don't understand... all the times I've flown (granted not a lot), after landing, planes proceeded under their own power to a gate. They've never been "towed" in. I can (sort of) understand a delay if all the gates were taken, but why did they need a tug?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

One thing I don't understand... all the times I've flown (granted not a lot), after landing, planes proceeded under their own power to a gate. They've never been "towed" in. I can (sort of) understand a delay if all the gates were taken, but why did they need a tug?

Possibly ice, if the tarmac is too icy, they will use a tug because even though a plane can move on the tarmac on its own power, sliding is a bad situation as it's not like stopping a car. It's not all that uncommon here in Syracuse to have planes towed into the gate area in the winter if there is a lot of ice (snow isn't as big of a deal).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Because it had nothing to do with the Jetblue plane, which was domestic, and didn't require customs. It required a crew to tug it to the gate or bring a ladder.

But the general discussion is that there are more than one incident that occured over the past 48 hours with a few of the JetBlue flights. People are lumping them together, but each is a little unique.

But you can now get back to your already scheduled JetBlue bash (again, I don't think JetBlue is necessarily correct, just there is far more to it and they do need some major PR help).

 

[hushupu]

I have been stuck on the ground in planes in Chicago at both Ohare and Midway for 5+ hours I use to have to fly there weekly and it was the worst it was 2 different carriers so I just chalk those things up to bad luck and move on.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing I don't understand... all the times I've flown (granted not a lot), after landing, planes proceeded under their own power to a gate. They've never been "towed" in. I can (sort of) understand a delay if all the gates were taken, but why did they need a tug?

More info here, the plane was "boxed in" plus they had a foot of snow.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/jetblue-flight-pilot-pleaded-tarmac-ordeal/story?id=14845299

I was stuck in Hartford once during a blizzard but luckily just in the crowded terminal, not on the plane.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you watch the video, that plane was stuck in the midst of a line of planes waiting to take off. I don't think it is so much a Jetblue issue as an airport issue.

 

[vacationclub]

But the general discussion is that there are more than one incident that occured over the past 48 hours with a few of the JetBlue flights. People are lumping them together, but each is a little unique.

But you can now get back to your already scheduled JetBlue bash (again, I don't think JetBlue is necessarily correct, just there is far more to it and they do need some major PR help).

I don't know what the other incidents are or how they are lumped together, and they aren't in any general discussion here. There is only one incident in this story I posted. The customs thing simply doesn't apply to this story, that was for another plane. There is no scheduled bashing, only discussions of facts. Jetblue seems to have taken longer than others, for no explained reason from the pilot, the airline or anyone else, and it's happened before. So yes, they have a problem, and not just a PR one. Now, maybe the airport was at fault, and simply failed to help this plane, but it seems that would be an easy explanation for JB to make. Let's see what other info develops.

If you watch the video, that plane was stuck in the midst of a line of planes waiting to take off. I don't think it is so much a Jetblue issue as an airport issue.

Yes, this ABC News link seems to indicate that, but even if being boxed in was the problem why did it take so long to simply let people off, which they eventually did anyway? How did those other parked planes get their people off? Why did the airport park them there knowing those other planes wouldn't be moving? Strange that they were able to get a trooper on the plane, but couldn't get people off. The avaition expert interviewed in the story said that regardless of the conditions there should have been a plan to get people off. If all else fails, they have an emergency chute people can slide down that doesn't require a ladder or a gate. My gut suspicion here (or you can call it bashing if you like) is that JB corporate simply insisted they wait, or perhaps ignored them. Either way, whatever the reason, they failed, and can't seem to easily explain why. Again. That's why this story is getting so much attention.

 

[DebbieB]

It sounds like they didn't want people getting off on the tarmac for safety reasons but after it was taking so long, they needed to do something. I assume they had to bring out portable stairs since they were not at a gate. Using the chute would be a last resort because people end up getting hurt sliding down them plus you can't bring personal belongings. I think it was probably a joint Jet Blue / airport problem.

 

[goofybabe]

"it is what it is" I still love Jet Blue !

 

[Tozzie]

There is some information missing from this whole senario, if there were 23 planes diverted to the same airport why were only the Jet Blue planes and passengers left on the tarmac for 7+ hours? If no other planes were stranded on the tarmac for that length of time then Jet Blue has issues however if the press is singling out Jet Blue because of their history then that is wrong. I would really like more information before condemming Jet Blue. That being said, I would never "suck up" being stuck on a plane for that long, the storm wasn't a surprise and maybe some of those planes should never have left the point of origin to begin with.

 

[jdb in AZ]

The pilot was pleading for help from the airport, and he specifically said that the airline wasn't giving him the help he needed.