Originally Posted by
Aewanabe
roknroll, I can assure you that bothers us on the operational side of the airline too! It's something we've been complaining about for years; I fully admit I don't understand all the specifics, but for a delay to be posted it starts as a multi-step process with rather archaic aircraft-routing software from our Sysops in Long Island City. For whatever reason all of our IT platforms (JetBlue.com, the JetBlue app, Flight Information Display Screens) are dependent on that output to show properly updated departure times, and we've been told it's very difficult to get the aircraft-tracking program to properly "flow" or cascade delays out from when they initially occur.
I hope all that sheds some light on the 'how' our delay notification process works; it's not an excuse for a poor process and is an issue I hope to see us resolve soon.
Nothing is more frustrating to me than when an airline fails to provide accurate or timely information. I know there will be weather delays, maintenance issues, crew time outs, etc. but I would like to be informed. With the right information, I can even generate my own service recovery options when the airline messes up their service recovery. Without correct and timely information, however, I am completely at the mercy of the airline - which as we have seen in the case of my daughter's flight, might not work out that well.
Clearly, Jet Blue's information flow could be improved. For example, I have been following BOS-SJC this past week, and on a couple of occasions flightaware was showing a diverted flight plan long before jetblue.com acknowledged the flight was diverted. This continued many hours into the flights, when for example, the flight was in the vicinity of DEN (it diverted to LAS that night).
Correct information is both the first line of JetBlue's customer bill of rights, and also is required by regulations (14 CFR 259.8 requires airlines to notify of delays, cancellations, and diversions within 30 minutes after the carrier becomes aware). But it is, of course, not a revenue item, so who knows how long it will take for the archaic systems Aewanabe mentions to be updated.