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jetBlue

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The video of David Neeleman, CEO of jetBlue, is getting a lot of play online. It's posted on their corporate web page. I've seen some commentary as well. I thought I would weigh in since I've had some interesting, if not completely charming, experiences on airlines in the last couple of years.

First, I cannot imagine how those people trapped on that plane on the runway were feeling. This kind of thing is happening all too frequently and some higher authority needs to step in and make sure it doesn't happen again. I understand the need to have some control over planes and passengers on the runway. But there should be a time limit on planes sitting on the runway and people being without food and facilities. I really don't think that the airlines should make this decision. It's a public safety issue. At some point you are holding people against their will and negative impact of that outweighs the inconvenience of having to taxi back to the terminal. Please.

So as far as how this has been handled since the situation, I have to give David and jetBlue a lot of credit. I saw one person say what they really needed to actually hear "I'm sorry" from him (sorry, forgot where I read that). I just think back to my own little boondoggle. What I needed from the airline (not jetBlue) was a remedy, not an apology (the apology was nice but means nothing if you aren't going to fix the problem). "I'm sorry" is easy and we give it so much weight. "I'm sorry" sounds like what they think you need to hear to let them off the hook. "I'm sorry" doesn't begin to cut it. That's just my opinion. As a customer, I'd wonder how they would make it up to me and how they would ensure that it never happened again. But "I'm sorry" from a person who doesn't know me? Of course he's sorry. His company is getting trashed in the news. Is being sorry that big of a surprise? Oh, and by the way, I'm sorry. Seriously, it's nice, but it's pretty much assumed. Their "I'm sorry" letter is posted on their web page.

So David seemed noticeably nervous in his unrehearsed video. I think that this kind of humility, lacking a bunch of spin and polish, would make people feel better about the company. Can you not tell that this guy feels horrible about this?  Could he have foreseen the consequences? Who knows. Regardless, the guy is shaken. If I were a customer that was stuck either on a plane or in an airport, watching him squirm a little online would have helped me feel a bit better.

I liked that he gave very specific remedies in the video as well. It wasn't any of this "we are sorry, we are going to fix it" fluff. It was real. By putting that out there, he's allowing the public to hold jetBlue accountable. That will allow them to retain many customers. It helps us take him seriously. It shows us how much of a priority this is to the company.

As far as crisis communications go, I think jetBlue has done pretty well (I'd be interested in hearing what kind of communication has happened with the people impacted by the canceled flights and runway debacle). The communications were swift, they were transparent and they were specific.

It will be interesting to see when their crisis communications fall off their webpage and they just get back to the business of being jetBlue.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 21, 2007
    What JetBlue does really well in their crisis-communication is giving a corporation a human face. It's the right thing to do, because as humans we have it in us to forgive a human (the 'he is only human' reaction) but not to forgive an large faceless entity. I'm sure there are others floating around, but I really liked Matt's (37Signals) witness write-up of the ordeal: http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/274-be-the-guy-with-the-megaphone-and-other-lessons-from-a-jetblue-meltdown

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
    Nice to see you brought-up this topic. I'm a fairly patient person, but eight hours in a jet on the runway and no clear idea of when I'd be getting off or what's going on would probably break my patience barrier.  That being said, I'm surprised no passengers forced themselves off the airline.   It's hard to say what I would do in that situation, but after eight hours on the runway, forcing my way off seems like a completely logical thing to do. What say you? On the other hand, aside from this incident I've heard nothing but good things about the company.  Considering the CEO's apology and the measures they've taken to ensure this problem never happens again, I can honestly say I would have no issues flying with JetBlue and probably will do so in the future. -Erich

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
    I hate getting stuck on a plane but have never had to be (stuck) on one for that long.  I think its really commendable what JetBlue is doing and hope to see other airlines step up to the plate.  Amazing that this hasn't been resolved before. (I heard on the radio that there are some loopholes to the peace offerings... it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  But if they continue in the spirit that they seem to be in right now, the loopholes will be non-issues.)

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
    This is weird, but I'm not sure I believe him. I've never heard him speak, but it looks strangely "rehearsed unrehearsed". Or am I just skeptical?

  • Anonymous
    February 22, 2007
    Patblue - I wonder how many hours on the tarmack before a black market would develop for that Nicorette. In your case, you could blame the weather. I agree that they will turn this around. Heck, I may even fly jetBlue to give them the opportunity to earn my business. If my luggage arrives without some baggage handler having pawed through my things, I'd say they deserve a shot at my business. Tim - Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe it's because one would think that someone would at least do a couple of takes and polish it up before putting it out there. The medium could be different now because of the availability of video web publishing tools. I guess what I am saying is that perhaps your skepticism comes from the fact that before recently, companies would have hired some PR types to do that video and make it all shiny and minty fresh. Instead jetBlue did it themselves. I think this is also due in part to the fact that they needed to respond as quickly as possible. Maybe we need to get used to this type of thing. I could see where the lack of polish may draw some doubt.

  • Anonymous
    February 23, 2007
    Well, working in Hollywood for so many years makes me naturally distrust most people appearing on camera.

  • Anonymous
    February 23, 2007
    Yeah, I know. I spent my early dating life there. Yuck!

  • Anonymous
    February 24, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2007
    This time JetBlue decided not to take the chances it decided to take last time: From CNN: "JetBlue moves quickly to cancel flights this storm Low fare carrier cuts 40% of JFK flights nearly two weeks after stranding passengers there on the tarmac for hours." Accidents are random and could happen to anyone, mistakes are non-random and happen to those without good systems to avoid them.

  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2007
    Martin - if it all happens again, we were forewarned, I guess. Still, I thikn they will do what they can to ensure that it won't happen for me. Low price fares/razor thin margins/gambling. At least you know what you are getting into when you book a flight with them. I have a friend who does the Boston-Seattle non-stop frequently and thinks they are great. Bad_Brad - yowza...tell us how you really feel : ) Gotta love that competitive spirit!

  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 27, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 27, 2007
    Yeah, Paul, I totally agree with you. With my experience with Alaska (which was different...I don't know how to compare my situation with those of the passengers in jetBlue), I also felt like that free ticket was at least an acknowledgement that something bad happened and they were doing something to try to fix it. It's hard to say what the right something is, in my situation (which just happened to one person) or the jetBlue situation. I agree that more needs to be done. I think that the airlines are looking at it as an "inconvenience" they are compensating for whereas the passengers feel, I don't know, kidnapped. It goes beyond inconventience to a loss of control. If they established a rule that an hour on the tarmac required a return trip top the terminal, would that cause problems for the air traffic controllers and potentially negatively impact even more people? I don't find the complainers scary (I just remember how I felt after my "incident"...kind of on edge and maybe a little paranoid), just angry. Sheesh, I remember how I felt while my kitchen was being remodeled which pretty much occurred without incident...scary wasn't even the half of it and I could have left any time I wanted! People don't like that loss of control feeling...or am I jut talking about myself?

  • Anonymous
    February 27, 2007
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  • Anonymous
    February 27, 2007
    Ah, I got it....it was more "scary-angry" than "scary, angry". I agree that part of it is how you are treated. I heard mixed reviews which, i am sure, depended on who at jetBlue the person dealt with. Also, I think the anger festers when you are with so many people going through the same thing. Sadly, beer and a TV could make a big difference.

  • Anonymous
    February 28, 2007
    Yes.  A shared bad experience is amplified many more times than a shared good experience.  We humans, versus the hapless sardines the airlines think we are, love to commiserate. But, I'm not sure why it's sad that a beer and some comfort would make a big difference.  Is it because it's so easy to think of and do, but so rarely considered?

  • Anonymous
    February 28, 2007
    It's because it's so little and mundane a thing that would improve the experience. How bad does it have to be that a TV and a beer make a BIG difference? Pretty bad.

  • Anonymous
    March 22, 2007
    Hello everyone I have pictures of some jetblue accidents that go unreported in the media. Check out my site and email me I can send you some more. I am a former crewmember.