FLIGHT PLANS

Flying used to be fun. People dressed up for it. Airline employees were courteous; stewardesses were young and pretty and adventurous; seats were, if not spacious at least livable; it was a special event, filled with anticipation, good manners, and just enough fear to make the drinks taste better. The airline industry, aided by the promotion of fear, has turned passengers into cattle: we are pushed, prodded, and crowded onto flying boxcars; we are drained of every nickel and robbed of all civility; then unceremoniously offloaded at the other end. Flying isn’t really fun any more.

The “Passenger Bill of Rights” just released by Jet Blue’s is similar to the non-binding resolution just passed by Congress: too little too late, and unenforceable. This empty apology to air travelers “guarantees” financial compensation for departure delays, starting at $25 for the first hour and increasing as the clock ticks. All this comes in the wake of last week’s snow storm, during which thousands of passengers were literally held captive aboard grounded airliners for as much as eleven hours.

Apologies are great, but this one comes with a huge caveat: the “guarantee” only counts if delays are caused by Jet Blue. In other words, bad weather equals zero compensation. This isn’t a bill of rights, it’s an article of deception.

My guess is that Jet Blue’s sudden magnanimity is an effort to keep Congress from passing a real bill of rights for fliers, a legally binding bill of rights that would give fliers some real choices, and force airlines to treat their customers with dignity and respect. It might bring the fun back to flying.

a foot on eiher side

Bart Braverman