BBB,
You've proven here that you're no smarter than the average passenger (i.e., self-loading baggage) that flies on US airlines everyday in this country. While you've decided to condemn the 1600 pilots of JetBlue for the sensational headline grabbing media reports of a small handful of JetBlue flightcrews, the last three days of operations at JetBlue have demonstrated incredible acts of leadership by the vast majority of Captains across the entire system that are not worthy of media reporting, but are nevertheless equally relevant in telling the whole story of what has happened.
While it is easy for you to pile on and serve us your condescending rebuke of how poorly we acted as a group. You have no credibility to start this thread since 1.) you weren't in the cockpits of those aircraft as events unfolded, and 2.) you do not fly passengers into and out of JFK airport as a pilot. If you're passing judgement on us because of what you've read in USA Today or MSNBC I'm here to tell you that don't even have thimble full of understanding to the whole story that has occurred.
All you have done here is proven that you are at least as clueless as those you have accussed of being the same at JetBlue. Now if you're feeling smug about stirring this pot go back and look at the mirror and say to yourself out loud "but for the grace of God I hope I never find myself in a situation like that." Because if you think it can't happen to you then you are the true FOOL.
I truly wish no ill on any of us who have to carry out the tremendous responsibilities that are laid at our feet as airline captains for part 121 passenger airlines in this day. When I read about the story of the AA Captain who faced this same situation in Austin the other day, my immdiate reaction was not to burn him at the stake in a public forum, but to try and learn more about the details so I could better understand what happen to him and learn through his experience. Thankfully, by waiting a few extra days and reading more than just the reports from the drive-by media from that event many of the important details of that event event became known and provided much more clarity to what happened.
BBB, you and your ilk would do yourselves a great favor to remember that as well. Constructive criticism involves more than just highlighting the faults, but offering up objective solutions on how the rest of us can learn from your wisdom and experience. After six pages on this thread I haven't read it yet.
Peace out.....