Jetblue Makes History With Pilot POW

[linepilot]

In a "first in the industry" jetblue has brought the Captain of the Hartford flight up to headquarters for a carpet dance and a HoChiMihn sytle propaganda podcast to the rest of the airline.

It's embarrassing to the entire profession to hear this sorry soul grovel to save his job.

So now, instead of the executive team taking any blame for a lack of planning, they can point the shareholders to this pilot.

I guess they learned their lesson when Neeleman was ousted and the propaganda machine at jetblue is so much more sophisticated nowadays.

Sad.

This airline is taking this profession back 10 years for every 1 they go forward.

 

[CitationLover]

Well considering no one outside the industry cares since they heard jetBlue and 7hr delay over the news.

Yes retarded management thinking this will actually do anything however how about a backbone for the pilot?

 

[BoilerUP]

Yes retarded management thinking this will actually do anything however how about a backbone for the pilot?

Backbone is easier to have when you have a collective bargaining agreement and legal team on your side to help protect you from punitive termination...

 

[SWA717]

Backbone is easier to have when you have a collective bargaining agreement and legal team on your side to help protect you from punitive termination...

Exactly!!

 

[FlyinGuy]

How fast do you think they will form a union once the acquisition is announced?

 

[shadesofBS]

Not fast enough to avoid letting Forest Hills decide what happens to the pilot group.

 

[Baronman]

Is the pilot going to appear seated with a JB logo behind him and two masked chief pilots at his side as he reads his statement?

"Due to poor planning on my part, I single handely decided to divert to an airport with extreme operational difficulties. I take full responsibility and would like to thank SOCC for their assistance in this difficult situation that I put the company in....."

 

[Flopgut]

Remember: When you decide to make an extraordinary effort for your average airline customer, they aren't likely to do the same for you. Where are the nutballs with the Passenger Bill of Rights effort? Shouldn't they be going to bat for this pilot?

 

[vandypilot]

Can anyone post this statement the pilot read in the podcast?

 

[jetflier]

I would have called the FBO on the field and told them we would like to park there and deplane our pax into the FBO.

Seems to me that JB management would not object to that.

That was an very difficult situation.

 

[Ty Webb]

I would have called the FBO on the field and told them we would like to park there and deplane our pax into the FBO.

Seems to me that JB management would not object to that.

That was an very difficult situation.

True, you could deplane them there (if they have airstairs, or if your plane is equipped) but not emplane them. You can arrive at an unsecure facility, but not depart from one.

Best bet would be to have a bus (or buses) standing by to take the folks to the terminal, or the destination, if the roads are passable.

FWIW, if I'm diverting, unless its an emergency, I'm diverting to an on-line station. That is going to be the best bet to avoid a cluster . . . usually.

 

[pilotyip]

I would have called the FBO on the field and told them we would like to park there and deplane our pax into the FBO.

Seems to me that JB management would not object to that.

That was an very difficult situation.

And be arrested by Forrest Gump of TSA at the FBO for entering a non-sterile area, where he would not be allowed to de-plane. Probably better he ran out of gas, ditched in a river and saved everyone.

 

[BoilerUP]

And be arrested by Forrest Gump of TSA at the FBO for entering a non-sterile area, where he would not be allowed to de-plane. Probably better he ran out of gas, ditched in a river and saved everyone.

What?

Is there a TSA directive that passengers must deplane into a sterile area? Or that 121 aircraft aren't allowed on FBO ramps?

The ramp at TAC-Air BDL most certainly is within the Airport Operations Area.

Who cares if passengers have to go back to the terminal and be re-screened before reboarding the plane - at least they'll be out of the tin can, be able to hit a clean bathroom, maybe take the crew car to grab some food...

 

[General Lee]

True, you could deplane them there (if they have airstairs, or if your plane is equipped) but not emplane them. You can arrive at an unsecure facility, but not depart from one.

Best bet would be to have a bus (or buses) standing by to take the folks to the terminal, or the destination, if the roads are passable.

FWIW, if I'm diverting, unless its an emergency, I'm diverting to an on-line station. That is going to be the best bet to avoid a cluster . . . usually.

I think JB flies to Hartford. But, it was at the heart of the storm when they got there.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Capn Butthead]

Bdl is a JetBlue station. You can hear tapes of the pilot pleading for help. Now granted...he could've maybe been more assertive...maybe just taxi to an open gate...but the real criminal here is JetBlue management, dispatch and the bdl station manager should be fired. I know at luv at all of our stations we have someone there or on call that is trained to operate jetways and park a/c....granted we are not close to perfect but we do have plans in effect at all of our stations to prevent this. I was just at bdl last week. I know JetBlue uses contract ramp there...not the best service in the world lowest bidder I guess. But some heads should roll over this at JetBlue but I guess they'll just crucify the captain. It's a damn shame.

 

[hoover84]

Back in the day Airways did the same thing to a crew. They made a what happened video for everyone to see during recurrent. It was a hot start that ended with the FA's starting an evac....lots more to the story but you get the idea......

 

[waveflyer]

So just what did they expect the capt to do?

Rope down, start towing airplanes around to clear a gate- have the FO taxi the airplane to the gate, drive the jetway up to the plane??

What options did they have?

 

[Ty Webb]

So just what did they expect the capt to do?

Rope down, start towing airplanes around to clear a gate

YEE-HAA!! That's one way to make Last Call! :beer:

Just be sure to set the brakes, and shut 'em both down first. :laugh:

 

[Mercyful Fate]

There is plenty of blame to go around with this, and it sucks that the crew is going to be thrown on the altar of sacrifice...The folks on the ground, ie, rampers, customer service, should be held to just as responsible for not getting creative on fixing a bad situation. Regardless, you find a way to get the pax off the plane, regardless if it is in a sterile or non-sterile area. Worry about that crap about getting screened later before re-boarding, that is not big deal.

 

[linepilot]

Not to mention the failure of flight ops to even notice that a storm was coming.

 

[CitationLover]

Backbone is easier to have when you have a collective bargaining agreement and legal team on your side to help protect you from punitive termination...

Oh please. Are we that PATHETIC? Wah wah wah, my ALPA lawyer isn't here. Wah wah wah.

EVERY jetBlue pilot knew what they were getting into Shayna......I say let em crash.

 

[BoilerUP]

Oh please. Are we that PATHETIC? Wah wah wah, my ALPA lawyer isn't here. Wah wah wah.

I realize your situation with MEH has left you bitter as hell, but step away from your rage and think about it for a second:

Company comes to you and says "We need you to publicly recant what you said about lack of support from the station."

What are his options if he says no?

#1 - nothing happens
#2 - he gets terminated, suspended, or otherwise disciplined

Being asked to recant a statement pretty much puts #1 in doubt, leaving us with #2. With any kind of collective bargaining representation there would be a grievance process in place to fight a wrongful termination. Without collective bargaining representation, he'd be left to his own devices to secure legal representation at his expense and fight Jetblue in court and/or the media.

If he refused to do the statement, got disciplined and then went public with it it'd be a HUGE black eye for Jetblue...but wouldn't change the fact that guy is now unemployed, with legal bills, in the public spotlight speaking out against his employer, who obviously is bent on fighting him.

Or, make the damn statement and continue collecting a paycheck.

What's an adult with responsibilities to do?!?

But perhaps I should have said "Backbone is easier to have when you're sitting in front of a keyboard typing on Flightinfo"...

 

[GOULET!]

If you chose to go to a union-less airline then you deserve to be made to look like an a$$ in front of your peers. Can guarantee you this would not have happened at any of the majors. Hopefully the video goes public so we can all make fun of him.

 

[jetflier]

There was a lot of options available, and the JB station should have stepped up to the plate first,....with a plan. Where was the JB Station Manager in all of this?

 

[CitationLover]

I realize your situation with MEH has left you bitter as hell, but step away from your rage and think about it for a second:

Company comes to you and says "We need you to publicly recant what you said about lack of support from the station."

What are his options if he says no?

#1 - nothing happens
#2 - he gets terminated, suspended, or otherwise disciplined

Being asked to recant a statement pretty much puts #1 in doubt, leaving us with #2. With any kind of collective bargaining representation there would be a grievance process in place to fight a wrongful termination. Without collective bargaining representation, he'd be left to his own devices to secure legal representation at his expense and fight Jetblue in court and/or the media.

If he refused to do the statement, got disciplined and then went public with it it'd be a HUGE black eye for Jetblue...but wouldn't change the fact that guy is now unemployed, with legal bills, in the public spotlight speaking out against his employer, who obviously is bent on fighting him.

Or, make the damn statement and continue collecting a paycheck.

What's an adult with responsibilities to do?!?

But perhaps I should have said "Backbone is easier to have when you're sitting in front of a keyboard typing on Flightinfo"...

Public? It was on an internal website:

...
Now on the company's internal website, a 15-minute long explanation from the CA of 504 about how the news media took his comments out-of-context.
....

It was simply a stupid attempt at trying to regain face internally after doing something stupid over the weekend and its backfiring.

Having a backbone has nothing to do with being bitter, you don't need mommy to say I don't want to do this. You get fired, you sue as simple as that. A Captain at jetBlue has had a lot of internal resources spent on that employee and you think they would simply get a poor rate of return on that and let him go no questions asked? Come on. If I had to speculate, this individual probably willingly complied with the request.

As for legal bills, you know how much press this got over the weekend? You think any lawyer looking to make a career wouldn't take this case on?

 

[airplane wizard]

"Go ahead fire me mf'ers. You are doing me a gd f'in favor you cheap cs'rs. Take your f'n E190 and shove it up your gd f'n a## take this....you all deserve it"

POW...POW.....POWPOW...POW...POW...POWPOW

 

[dicko]

There was a lot of options available, and the JB station should have stepped up to the plate first,....with a plan. Where was the JB Station Manager in all of this?

At our shop, when the 2.5 hour mark rolls around, the VP Flight Ops get woken up to call the shots. $ 27 500 per passenger seems to get VP treatment.

I'm a little surprised that there wasn't more frantic action from the Smurf King. Perhaps using the body warmth of his loving employees to burrow through the snow and save his beleaguered customers .... Or not.

 

[Nado]

Don't forget this great tweet from the twitter machine and the JB COO the day of-

@JetBlueCOO Rob Maruster
Despite calls for doom, we're planning to operate a full schedule today. Expect delays this evening as rain turns to snow in NE. #snowtober

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

EVERY jetBlue pilot knew what they were getting into Shayna......I say let em crash.

Well placed AIRPLANE! quote. That's funny there.

 

[SKC]

FWIW, if I'm diverting, unless its an emergency, I'm diverting to an on-line station. That is going to be the best bet to avoid a cluster . . . usually.

Ty, just a heads-up, get used to seeing off-line alternates, especially when you're in a -300.

Also, COS is probably our most frequent off-line divert location, and they are excellent at handling us. The Jet Center does great work. Heck, it would probably be easier if we just made them a station already.