Tell a Non-Flyer About JetBlue Please...

[Emme]

I haven't flown in years. I dislike in immensely . BUT, I really need to start flying again. We have been driving to Disney for the last several years and it is a L-O-N-G trip from NY.

JetBlue is flying out of our local White Plains, NY airport and the flight is less than 3 hours and cost is around $250 round trip. I HAVE to do this. So tell me all about JetBlue and how great it is...lol.

Any and all encouragement welcome!

 

[kimkoz]

I have nothing bad to say. I've flown JB probably 4 times now and love it.

For us the bonus it - local airport, direct flight, tv in each chair.

I love to fly so I'd never have doubt but I'm sure you'll enjoy that flight.

 

[justcantwait]

LOVE JetBlue! If you're not fond of flying, they're the best. TVs on the back of each seat will distract you for the whole flight. You can also see a map of exactly where you are and how much longer you have to go. I was thrilled when they started flying out of Hartford. And if food on the plane is important to you, they have yummy snacks and Dunkin Donuts coffee. I had to fly Delta in October only because we had 2 free flights, but if I'm paying, it's definitely going to be JetBlue. HTH

Kathy

 

[Emme]

LOVE JetBlue! If you're not fond of flying, they're the best. TVs on the back of each seat will distract you for the whole flight. You can also see a map of exactly where you are and how much longer you have to go.

Kathy

I never heard of the map route being available. WOW!! I love that . Is that available from your seat. I think I would feel more in control if I knew where we were, silly I know, but just being truthful

 

[Smile&Nod]

Then there are those of us who don't like to fly and take the Auto Train out of Lorton, VA - not in expensive, but I consider it part of the vacation because I enjoy it and RELAX, versus stress about flying! Just a thought - you can take it either one way and drive one way or take it round trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

I always fly to WDW. Do I like flying? No. But it's a means to an end. So I deal with it. Same thing with my dd. She's been flying, at least yearly, since she was 3. And she still isn't crazy about it.
So....we fly either JetBlue or Southwest exclusively. We enjoy both airlines. I love the tv's on Jetblue. It is a great way to forget where you are and what you're doing. I haven't really had a bad experience with JB yet. Yes, my flight got delayed 3 hrs last month, but that was a mechanical issue...and I would much rather be delayed then be at 30,000' and have an issue!!!

So....here's my advice, for what it's worth. Be as well rested as possible. Drink plenty of water in the days preceeding your flight. Then, drink at the gate, bring your bottle of water on the plane with you. Pack your carryon bags smartly. Pack anything you may need to start your vacation. Pack some snacks...so nice to have handy. Bring some magazines. Books are fine, but I find that the more stressed you are about flying, the less you are able to focus on a storyline. A magazine is much easier to just browse through to take your mind off your 'situation'!!

Now..here's the biggie. It's what I have always told my dd. Watch your flight attendants when you get in the air. If they are going about their business, things are fine. If it gets bumpy up there, and it can happen, watch them. I know that we were on a very short flight from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa, to make a connection. We didn't get to a really high cruising altitude due to the shortness of the flight. So, it was really bumpy. My eldest dd, 33 at the time, was a basket case. She was sobbing, praying, grabbing me. I wanted to kill her. I kept telling here that flight attendants seldom go through the cabin giving out Coke when the plane is in trouble!!! Planes don't mind turbulance...passengers do.

The thing to keep in mind, with any airline. It's really hard to bring a plane down, out of the sky. Yeah, a bomb will do it, for sure. But, seriously, there's nothing you can do if that's the case. I worry more about pilot error or mechanical failure..and those things happen so seldom that it's almost a non-issue.

So...get to the gate with plenty of time to relax before boarding. Then, get on, find your seat, put your bag in the overhead, sit down and relax. JetBlue is a wonderful airline. I'm putting my dd on it, with two of her friends, in June for their graduation present...a trip to WDW. They're flying by themselves...first time for that for dd. Huge deal for me. But, I trust JB.

 

[mrFDNY]

Hi gang,

Agreed with the rest. With over 40+ flights under my belt with many different airlines, jetblue sold us the first flight we took with them. As others as said i believe its channel 12, live map. Gives you the location of your plane, including speed and altitude. Only had one small issue with them, 4 years ago when all of the planes t.v.s did not work. As explained to us, it had something to do with the T.v. service provider and not actually Jetblue, without even asking or complaining by the time we deplaned our jetblue account was given a refund of 50$ per person for a 99$ flight.

Other than that one issue, never have had any other problems with them. We used to fly alot with delta, i have had my flight times moved by hours and once even a whole day, seat changed and once delta moved our seat assigment so that our 4 year old would have had to sit by himslef with me 5 rows back and my wife 3 rows in front of him, even after we booked 3 seats together. Jetblue has never done this to us.

 

[Emme]

We didn't get to a really high cruising altitude due to the shortness of the flight. So, it was really bumpy. My eldest dd, 33 at the time, was a basket case. She was sobbing, praying, grabbing me. I wanted to kill her. I kept telling here that flight attendants seldom go through the cabin giving out Coke when the plane is in trouble!!!

I can SO see me doing what your DD did The picture of myself behaving this way made me actually giggle. I can see my hubby playing your part to the "T".

You all are really making me feel so much better. PLEASE if you can add more please do. The more I am prepared the better off I'll be.

 

[Jillpie]

JetBlue is the best. TV's are fantastic. My biggest tip is to bring your own headphones! The free ones are awful. Noise cancelling ones are the best, I recommend a brand called V-Moda, you can find them at Radio Shack. They are outstanding. Have fun, you will love JB!

 

[Desnik]

JetBlue is the best! I don't like flying either but after doing the drive to WDW from NY for years I was sick of it and can't imagine doing it again. With JetBlue you get to pick your seats, have tv and satellite music, free drinks and snacks and comfy, roomy seats! I would agree with the poster who said to bring your own headphones though, theirs stink.

I also wanted to add that the White Plains airport is fantastic! It's so small, easy to navigate and we loved flying out of there in Aug. Keep in mind there really isn't any parking there and we used http://www.pp2f.org/ We had a great experience with them and would use them again in the future.

 

[formill]

We flew jet blue last week and it was terrific. We brought our own headphones (they no longer have free ones to give out that I know of -you have to pay for them)- and the little tvs are great-the controls are on the top of your armrest though and sometimes I would accidentally change channels-you plug your headphones in under the armrest on your left side. I love seeing the speed the plane is traveling at and where we are on the tv. You can also go online ahead of your flight and pick the show you want to watch-they have a guide on their site. The coffee was good and they give you whole cans of pop and a cup with ice. The flight went by so fast watching tv I could not believe it was time to land.

 

[formill]

We flew jet blue last week and it was terrific. We brought our own headphones (they no longer have free ones to give out that I know of -you have to pay for them)- and the little tvs are great-the controls are on the top of your armrest though and sometimes I would accidentally change channels-you plug your headphones in under the armrest on your left side. I love seeing the speed the plane is traveling at and where we are on the tv. You can also go online ahead of your flight and pick the show you want to watch-they have a guide on their site. The coffee was good and they give you whole cans of pop and a cup with ice. The flight went by so fast watching tv I could not believe it was time to land.

 

[DougandBeth]

Emme, emme, emmme

It brings a smile to my face when I hear these requests because I was you 5 years ago and now I fly on average 55-75 flights a year now with most ofnthem on jet blue and southwest.

I did actually go to fear of flying and before I help you can you let us know what you are afraid of? Is it terrorism, turbulence, being claustrophobic, etc
?

 

[Emme]

Emme, emme, emmme

It brings a smile to my face when I hear these requests because I was you 5 years ago and now I fly on average 55-75 flights a year now with most ofnthem on jet blue and southwest.

I did actually go to fear of flying and before I help you can you let us know what you are afraid of? Is it terrorism, turbulence, being claustrophobic, etc
?

Very easy question...I have no control. I can't stop the plane and get off if I want. I don't fear dying that's not it, nor terrorism either. It's really more the "I need to get out of here and I can't" dilemma.

 

[DougandBeth]

Hopefully some of this helps

First the flight from white plains to Orlando is actually about 2 hours and 30 minutes of actual flight time and 2 hours and 15 minutes on the return. The times they put on the site include taxing from gates, etc.

Now to give you some thoughts on flying out of white plains. Do not be nervous if you notice that you are flying very low for a while and not really climbing until somewhere around new jersey. The reason for this is the pilots need to filter into the laguardia and JFK airspace because of the heavy traffic there so they usually fly low and slow until it's their turn to start their real climb.

Now as fas as turbulence here is what you need to think about. Planes cannot fall from the sky it's impossible. Do this...imagine a chunk of jello on a plate and you take a little plastic airplane and push it into the middle of the jello. Now I want you to take the plate and shake it. Did the jello move? Yes indeed it did. Did the plane get lower or higher in the jello? Absolutely not. This is turbulence planes fly in jello air and it's the actual air that moves not the plane and the air usually moves 3-5 feet only.

As far as feeling like you are trapped and cannot get out do things you can control. The tv's will help tremendously. In addition get up and walk around the cabin, Domitian because you can control it. Visit the bathroom in the front and then later go to the back to kid things up. This will allow you to open and close doors and come and goes as you please. It will give you a sense that you can come and go out of that room as much as you want.

Last but not least the map will definitely help you as you will know where you are and how much time you still have. Pretend you are flying to the Bahamas which will add time and when you start getting to Jacksonville you will be descending and the flight will be over in minutes.

Hopefully some of this helps...

 

[goofy4tink]

Hopefully some of this helps

First the flight from white plains to Orlando is actually about 2 hours and 30 minutes of actual flight time and 2 hours and 15 minutes on the return. The times they put on the site include taxing from gates, etc.

Now to give you some thoughts on flying out of white plains. Do not be nervous if you notice that you are flying very low for a while and not really climbing until somewhere around new jersey. The reason for this is the pilots need to filter into the laguardia and JFK airspace because of the heavy traffic there so they usually fly low and slow until it's their turn to start their real climb.

Now as fas as turbulence here is what you need to think about. Planes cannot fall from the sky it's impossible. Do this...imagine a chunk of jello on a plate and you take a little plastic airplane and push it into the middle of the jello. Now I want you to take the plate and shake it. Did the jello move? Yes indeed it did. Did the plane get lower or higher in the jello? Absolutely not. This is turbulence planes fly in jello air and it's the actual air that moves not the plane and the air usually moves 3-5 feet only.

As far as feeling like you are trapped and cannot get out do things you can control. The tv's will help tremendously. In addition get up and walk around the cabin, Domitian because you can control it. Visit the bathroom in the front and then later go to the back to kid things up. This will allow you to open and close doors and come and goes as you please. It will give you a sense that you can come and go out of that room as much as you want.

Last but not least the map will definitely help you as you will know where you are and how much time you still have. Pretend you are flying to the Bahamas which will add time and when you start getting to Jacksonville you will be descending and the flight will be over in minutes.

Hopefully some of this helps...

Most excellent post!!! Thanks so much. A terrific thing to let her know about the low flying issue. That would have put the fear of God into me if I hadn't known it was going to happen, and why!!!
And the jello analogy? Perfect.

I remember listening to some pilots once. They were talking about their latest flights. One of them was quite happy about his...seems it had been more than a bit bumpy. He said he was pretty sure the passengers weren't happy about the ride, but it sure was nice for a change. He said that no matter what he told passengers, they refused to believe him when he told them that the plane is built for turbulance, and that the pilots actually like it. The other pilot agreed wholeheartedly. He said it was like driving a bus down the interstate at 3am....boooorrrrinnnng!!! He said it was enough to put you to sleep. No other traffic, no bumps in the road. But a slightly bumpy flight??? Heaven sent.

These pilots are usually coming over from the military....at some point anyway. They are ready for just about any eventuality. They are extremely well qualified. So.....give them the control.

 

[vacationclub]

Very easy question...I have no control. I can't stop the plane and get off if I want. I don't fear dying that's not it, nor terrorism either. It's really more the "I need to get out of here and I can't" dilemma.

It really sounds like you want to be comforted about flying in general, and not specifically about Jetblue. Flying on all airlines is almost the exact same experience with certain details that may not matter for a "fear of" flyer. On a recent business trip I was booked on 3 different airlines (United, AA and Delta) over 4 days and still have to look up which one I took when since they are all a blur of the exact same experience.

If it makes you feel any better, flying is way, way more safer than any other method of going that distance. You also don't have to worry about paying attention (once you're on board), about your car breaking down, looking for a place to eat or pee, etc.

As far as Jetblue, as others have mentioned, they have one very cool feature....those TVs. I don't fly them much, but when I do it really makes the trip so much better, even if you get stuck sitting near or next to someone you don't like. Jetblue's only weakness is their hub structure, which can contribute to possible delays later in the day, more so than perhaps other airlines. Every single flight, with a few exceptions like yours, either takes off or lands in NYC, as they hub in JFK, and also do LGA for some routes. This is the most crowded, and thus most delayed airspace in the US. Taking one of their directs from A to B that doesn't involve NYC reduces your possible ATC delay factor, but doesn't eliminate it since those direct route planes still have to come from NYC at some point first before picking you up.

But beyond that, Jetblue is nice. I'd say your bigger issue is researching TSA and the BS you may go through there. Know what to bring, and what not to, and know how to pack and unpack your stuff (electronics, etc), undress at the scanner, etc. Keep an eye on your stuff, limit the number of bins you have to use, etc. Rehearse it in your head as you walk up. And remember, you can opt out of the body scanner if they force that on you. I never do the X-ray version (the blue and black one) but will reluctantly accept the back-scatter version (with the rotating glass tube and L3 logo) if the line is long.

I hope you have nice flight.

 

[Emme]

Thank you all so very much !! You have all been so helpful in so many ways...

any other little things you think I might need to know please feel free to share. I actually am feeling a bit more relaxed

 

[kandb]

I live in NJ and we just flew out of Westchester this past November to Orlando and I hate flying as well. One thing I did was get seats in the front of the plane. For some reason, I felt much more comfortable being in the front of the plane. We had great flights both way. It went fast, was really fine. We had drove many times back and forth to WDW and I have to say, flying is WAY easier. You will be fine.

 

[debster812]

I remember listening to some pilots once. They were talking about their latest flights. One of them was quite happy about his...seems it had been more than a bit bumpy. He said he was pretty sure the passengers weren't happy about the ride, but it sure was nice for a change. He said that no matter what he told passengers, they refused to believe him when he told them that the plane is built for turbulance, and that the pilots actually like it. The other pilot agreed wholeheartedly. He said it was like driving a bus down the interstate at 3am....boooorrrrinnnng!!! He said it was enough to put you to sleep. No other traffic, no bumps in the road. But a slightly bumpy flight??? Heaven sent.

These pilots are usually coming over from the military....at some point anyway. They are ready for just about any eventuality. They are extremely well qualified. So.....give them the control.

I remember a flight I was on while traveling for work. My boss and I were in the VERY last row of the plane, so any bumps were exaaggerated. Well we got into some pretty rough air. The pilot came on the PA and told us that according to his maps, we had about 25 minutes of rough air ahead of us, and if he tried to get out of it, it would take him about 25 minutes. So he told us he was going to 'put the coals to it' and get us out as quickly as he could.

Normally I HATE turbulence, but this made me feel SO much better, and I use this every time we hit any bumpy air.

We're flying JetBlue to FL in about 5 weeks, and my 14 YO DS is very excited, he LOVES the TVs,, and the Terra Blue Potato Chips.