Comments on: JetBlue’s “classy and professional” move for disabled passenger in need http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/jetblue%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9cclassy-and-professional%e2%80%9d-move-for-disabled-passenger-in-need/ The last honest travel site Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MVFlyer http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/jetblue%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9cclassy-and-professional%e2%80%9d-move-for-disabled-passenger-in-need/comment-page-1/#comment-20653 MVFlyer Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:35:51 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=26142#comment-20653 You're right, Chris--this is the model that should be used, making money off of the primary product. But that's not the way it works anymore, I guess. Notice when they charge you the most onerous of fees, the schedule change--when they've already gotten your money for the fare, and you're powerless to do anything about it. To me, that's the worst fee of all--and completely out of line with the amount of work it takes to accomplish the change. It amounts to a 'bribe' to entice the airline to make the change. You’re right, Chris–this is the model that should be used, making money off of the primary product. But that’s not the way it works anymore, I guess. Notice when they charge you the most onerous of fees, the schedule change–when they’ve already gotten your money for the fare, and you’re powerless to do anything about it. To me, that’s the worst fee of all–and completely out of line with the amount of work it takes to accomplish the change. It amounts to a ‘bribe’ to entice the airline to make the change.

]]> By: DCTA http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/jetblue%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9cclassy-and-professional%e2%80%9d-move-for-disabled-passenger-in-need/comment-page-1/#comment-20651 DCTA Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:01:18 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=26142#comment-20651 Just a short story about another travel vendor that showed good judgement in "similar" case. I was in Florida in 2002 at Thanksgiving visiting my very ill mother. Mom died on Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) and I had originally expected to return home on Sunday but now needed to extend by three days to the following Wednesday. I had no problems with air ticket (was flying on a "reward" ticket for Travel Agents and AAL just simply changed it for me with n o charge given the circumstances) and called Avis to extend the rental car - they did so, now problem and I was expecting to pay for those three extra days when I turned the car in. Because a change had been made to the contract, I could not just drop the car and go, but had to go to a Counter Agent to settle everything up. She asked why I had extended the car, and when I told her she extended her condolences and then "comped" the three extra days. There was no reason to do that for me, but she did and I will never forget that - and I always rent Avis now. Some companies give their employees leeway to do this sort of thing and when they do have the ability, most of them will extend such courtesies. I suspect that in the JetBlue situation, if the agent who changed the ticket had understood what happened s/he would have waived the fare difference right then and there. Just a short story about another travel vendor that showed good judgement in “similar” case.

I was in Florida in 2002 at Thanksgiving visiting my very ill mother. Mom died on Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) and I had originally expected to return home on Sunday but now needed to extend by three days to the following Wednesday. I had no problems with air ticket (was flying on a “reward” ticket for Travel Agents and AAL just simply changed it for me with n o charge given the circumstances) and called Avis to extend the rental car – they did so, now problem and I was expecting to pay for those three extra days when I turned the car in. Because a change had been made to the contract, I could not just drop the car and go, but had to go to a Counter Agent to settle everything up. She asked why I had extended the car, and when I told her she extended her condolences and then “comped” the three extra days. There was no reason to do that for me, but she did and I will never forget that – and I always rent Avis now.

Some companies give their employees leeway to do this sort of thing and when they do have the ability, most of them will extend such courtesies. I suspect that in the JetBlue situation, if the agent who changed the ticket had understood what happened s/he would have waived the fare difference right then and there.

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