AMflier

I'm a jetBlue fanboy but I'm questioning my loyalty after bad IRROPS recovery both ways for my family of 4's vacation this past week.

Part of problem seems to be realtime flight status communication to their staff. Part seems to be what staff can and cannot do on their terminals at any given time. Part seems to be different priorities of different staff members. Part appears to be software that relies on schedule as opposed to realtime status information. see "Return".

Outbound: Friday JFK>ABQ cancelled. Rebooked on Monday flight. Since we were going to Mesa Verde NP and were going to drive, we asked to be booked onto the not cancelled Friday JFK>SLC, JFK>PHX or JFK>DEN flights. Phone agent said sure, that will be an additional ≈ $1600, $2000, or $1800 to get onto those flights. They were willing to waive the change fees, but we had to pay the difference between our tickets and the walk up fare. Ended up on JFK>SLC flight. There were still some open seats. I resent the upcharge for creatively solving our mutual problem. Insult to injury, the IFE froze so my row couldn't dim the screens, change channels or volume. Emailing CS in hopes of some relief from the upcharge.
A shout out to Homewood Suites ABQ for not charging me for cancelling after deadline once I told them the reason.

Return: Pardon the Tome,
Saturday afternoon LAS>JFK cancelled; called CS. They couldn't get 4 of us back to JFK with Sat. departure. I was put on LAS>BOS>JFK with our 1 checked bag so that I could get our car. The rest of family was booked on LAS>FLL>EWR.

Saturday night: Plane arrived at BOS gate. FLL gate had LGB bound plane in it, delayed awaiting incoming crew. Then a dust and thunder storms hit LAS. Incoming FLL plane diverted to ONT, LGB flight still no crew, BOS flight boarding held due to lightning. Internet search showed no availability on later FLL>NYC flights. Called CS, They said that BOS flight now had 3 seats, but they could only be ticketeded by the GA.

Went to understaffed BOS gate. GA didn't see the now open seats but said the change could only be made by CS. Recalled CS. While on hold GA saw open seats but could not change. New CS agent couldn't rebook because plane was shown to have departed. CS also didn't see incoming FLL plane's diversion to ONT. We put the GA on the phone with CS. Meanwhile the GA was trying to preboard. She finally got help at the gate but was still unable to make change. CS needed to transfer us to a different department. We're on hold. BOS flight is boarding. Explain situation to 2nd CS department. They release seats, GA prints BP's. CS and GA would not book onward BOS>NYC flights for family on my flight due to MCT. See BOS CS or GA we are told.

BOS flight takes off late. Connection possible, but will be close. Search showed later B6 BOS>NYC all full. Amtrak almost full. Couldn't connect to B6 via Twitter. Bought 4 Megabus Boston to NYC tickets as insurance. Insult to injury 2, the IFE audio jack on the red eye was broken.

Land late: Connection still possible. BOS>JFK flight at last call. 13 passengers rush FROM C-19 to C-32. We explain family situation to GA. He says flight is overbooked and to hang on. Wife tells me to board. Plane has 5 open seats and at least 1 non-rev. They have a chance. 5 minutes later door closes without family on board. GA told them that he didn't have time to make their changes plus get the flight off on time and sent them to BOS CS. BOS CS couldn't book them that day (Sunday). Family took bus back to NYC. The checked baggage didn't make the connection and has been "on the way" for the past 24 hours.

I get how hard WX makes things and it's been a really bad summer. Things change very quickly and there are a lot of moving parts. I've had issues with all of the airlines but find the legacy 3 much better at recovery even if you don't have status. In similar situations I've been told to board, take any available seat, and that the GA will fix the paperwork before the door closes on multiple occasions.

The single flight stations are a huge issue, and I'll think twice before booking one of those flights in the future. But for flights where there are options - the lack of empowerment of GA's and CSA's to make changes, either by policy or by software, is a bigger issue. The inability to get current information out to all just makes every situation worse.

*UPDATE*
B6 has refunded the upcharge for the change of station, and has given my family the requested credits for their inability to get them from Boston to New York. The checked bag arrived 26 hrs after landing and I was given a credit for that as well.