JetBlue, The Greyhound of the Skies is part of the Rum Rum Caribbean Castaway Trip Report.
I used to call China Eastern the Greyhound of the skies. Before the points game, that was Alex’s way of getting to his favorite place in the world, Shanghai. This designation had more to do with the hard product and uncomfortable ride than the reliability.
Younger and dumber, TPOL now flies JetBlue frequently to and from NY. One thing that my JetBlue flights have in common is delays. I’m not talking about delays from the polar apex (see Blizzard Gamble? Booking a JetBlue Full Revenue Fare). I’m talking about delays that someone with a degree in operations management from Middle Southeastern Texas or Michigan State could fix. Last time, the crew hadn’t arrived but the plane was ready. On this flight from SJU to FLL, the plane had yet to arrive. As the delays crept up, I thought about the sarcastic comment about TPOL being a risk taker when I flew JetBlue to JFK to catch Cathay First to Hong Kong for New Year’s (see Cutting It Close: Will I Make My JFK-HKG Connection?). Sure I had a four hour window to catch my flight, but once delays start, only Pete the Pilot knows when they will end.
Originally, I was going to fly to FLL then catch a shuttle to MIA airport for my AA flight to POS. While I would’ve made it, the day would’ve been unnecessarily stressful. Wisely, I chose to fly to POS the next day.
This question remains: Why does JetBlue schedule so many flights when it can’t be on time? Say what you will about Southwest and its 3 connection routing, but they get me where I need to go and they get me there on time.
Can JetBlue change its ways? Perhaps my keystrokes complaining about JetBlue are wasted much like my strongly worded hand written letters were wasted on Greyhound.
Anyone been on a JetBlue flight that departs on time?
Pete the Pilot: Nowhere! I’m delayed.
I’d say more like the Long Island Rail Road…. Over priced, never on time and it’s always someone else’s fault.
Lol
Awful airline. Like Southwest but without the customer service and on time percentage.
Si
Errr Southwest is delayed every time Sjc to lax or bur. My brother used to fly them but no more you could always count on delays of 45 minutes or more. On top of all tha you are still flying southwest.
Last line is funny.
Being based in PDX there is some relief hearing this. Thought it was just how they treated us, as every flight I have taken PDX-JFK is delayed. 100%. In absolute numbers this is ~10 flights over 2-3 years. Happy/Sorry to hear this happens elsewhere…?
I’ve never flown JetBlue, but this seems a bit harsh. Do other airlines currently flying to SJU have the same problem? I remember back in my travel agent days when AA had their SJU hub how delays were just expected there, so you never went with a tight connection if at all possible.
It’s not just flights to San Juan.
Look at it as more time in your Mint suite.
No mint suite to SJU
SJC is San Jose, CA. San Juan, PR is SJU.
True. Both delayed
I’ve mostly flown JetBlue in recent years from
JFK to upstate NY cities and my experience has been rather different more often than not. Most delays have been weather-related, but when not airline proactively says sorry and had given me flight credits toward another trip.