Ross Allen Reading Response Week 4
Submitted by allenrb on Tue, 07/01/2008 - 20:25.
When looking for JetBlue customer reactions to the Valentine's Day meltdown, I was surprised by the amount of people that had posted articles or youtube videos online. For my reaction, I found a website that a woman created after the JetBlue incident. She was stuck on the tarmac at JFK for 11 hours before finally getting off the plane and onto an awaiting bus. Within her myspace page, she also has links to many other blogs, articles, and videos about the JetBlue meltdown. In one of her youtube videos when asked why she was filming her exit off the plane, she stated "because nobody will believe this is true." This goes to show the customers disgrace when it came to how JetBlue dealt with the situation.
http://www.myspace.com/jetbluehostage
The audience I plan to address is those passengers who were involved in the Valentine's Day meltdown. I choose them because they were caused the most anxiety from the situation and they need to be addressed the most. Many of these people will have very negative feelings towards JetBlue. I would guess that many of their expectations are to be reimbursed or compensated in some manner to help relieve some of the pain they had to deal with.
In reading through the myspace page, it is obvious that the individual does not feel like they were treated respectfully or compensated enough. It states that they received a free round trip ticket, but for her waiting 11 hours, that is not enough. The individual is also angered that those who waited for 3 hours were treated the same as those who waited 11, and they feel that was also not fair. She also felt that JetBlue did not go far enough with their apologies. I plan to address many of these issues in the JetBlue letter. I think the hardest part to address will be treating everyone fairly. Those passengers that waited 11 hours and those passengers that waited 3 hours probably not be treated the same, but where do you make the cut-off. There is no method that will appease everyone. Since the situation was handled so poorly as it occurred, I feel that the most that can be done is show those passengers that we do feel sorry and provide them with some compensation.
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Response
Ashley M. Rooney
Wow , I was unaware those waiting received the same compensation. Odd considering the sliding scale on the Bill of Rights. Maybe they went back later and provided more compensation, if not, I'd be mad.
W4 Reply to Allenrb
Hello,
I find it interesting that you bring this compensation point up here. I agree that it is not fair that those who have to wait 3 hours receive the same compensation as those who waited 11. There is a huge different between those two durations. In writing the letter, you will need to be very careful as to explain why you (as the CEO of JetBlue) have decided to make this the cut off point. Some people may find offense to this and feel they are not being compensated enough for their trouble. You will have to closely examine the audience and how you should relay the compensation information to them to give them a clearer understanding.
Response to Ross
Ross,
The point you made about everyone being treated fairly was very interesting. I had never really thought that the passengers who waited only 3 hours in the airport were getting the same compensation as the ones stranded on the actual plane for 11 hours. This doesn’t seem fair. I agree with you, it is definitely hard to make the decision of which passenger has suffered the most though. I feel as if there is no easy solution for this. No matter what, someone will be angered by giving different passengers different compensations and vouchers. Someone will think it’s unfair. JetBlue did probably handle the situation best by simply giving everyone the same amount of compensation for their troubles.
Response
Ross,
I found your last paragraph very interesting. I think it is a really tough line to draw when creating cut-offs for those passengers that waited 3 hours and those that waited 11 hours. I am sure that if I was a customer that waited 11 hours and received the same treatment as someone who waited 3 hours I would be upset as well. I find it interesting that the lady didn't find JetBue's apologies to be sincere. I read many article and blogs that said the opposite. It goes to show that everyone has a different opinion about how JetBlue handled the situation. It makes it hard to address everyone in the context they're looking for. Like you said, anyone who was delayed, if it was for 3 hours or 11 hours, should be treated fairly and with respect.
Bethony Vernaglia
response
I don’t understand why people would make such a big deal about it like that lady who posted blogs in the myspace page you mentioned. I mean, if it were happen to me, I would just post a blog under my facebook or myspace page about my crazy adventure with JetBlue and then just move on with life. I wouldn’t spend my life being obsessed about JetBlue’s Valentine’s Day meltdown or try to convince people that it really happened. What’s the big deal?! You were just waiting inside a plane for 11 hours -- probably there was no food except for peanuts or chips, and the weather might have been a little bit cold (but hey it was winter time, you should have known to dress warmly), but there was not any danger that could have endangered your life. JetBlue had done their best apologizing and improving their business, they even spent $35Millions in compensating passengers involved in this meltdown. So I say, move on people!