steved5480

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...514-story.html

AndyPatterson

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/articl...a-11145030.php

Regardless of who is "legally right," this is typical of how not to handle a customer relations dispute, alas.

Finkface

The husband said to the FA "Ma'am, have you been drinking?". Not too smart.

lobo411

Anyone who wears a happy birthday tiara and is older than the age of 15 belongs in Gitmo.

nrr

The family involved must be "out of whack", per newspaper article, after being booted from their Jet Blue flight, they re-booked on United Airlines.

coloneltigh

This is getting out of hand. If I were a crewmember, I'd buy and wear a body cam since these videos are incomplete. People are always on their best behavior when the cameras and police are around. I'm sure there would be less sympathy for these folks if we saw the whole interaction.

Carfield

As a jetBlue fan, I am very disappointed after reading this story. Sometimes there are crazy passengers who demand many things. However, jetBlue's story fell apart after reading the reactions from the police officers. They deemed that there was no wrongdoing at all and refused to remove the family. While there were two sides to all story, the officers' reactions seemed to be the fairest as they had heard the story from both sides. JetBlue... have you not learned anything this past month? Apologize to the passengers and then put on a statement that you have worked out some compensation deal with passengers now! Come on, even the police officers could not believe that they were dragged onboard to resolve a dispute involving a birthday cake! They were no security threat and do you think the public will believe you or the Port Authority police officers? Your explanation held little power especially in the court of pubic opinions. Now you gave Congress more ammunition!

JetBlue PR is usually pretty good but come on, you don't have the public on your side. While I did not think these passengers should stay on their original Las Vegas flight, you should just put them on the next flight. Gave them some points and travel vouchers, this story would have never made it to the news! #cakegate is stupid.

Carfield

Doc Savage

I suspect there were jerks on both sides in this incident.

nrr

From the news media description, the cake got lots of jostling, why should one assume the cake "survived".
It might have been easier to arrange (in advance) with a LAS VEGAS bakery to deliver a cake to the property where the family was staying. (Per article they bought THE cake in NYC at a particular bakery, unless that cake was "super special" my delivery suggestion seems easier).

Finkface

And it seems that the issue may have been the number of bags plus the cake that the family tried to bring on board and stow in the overhead bins.

They were told to remove the cake from the overhead bins and the dad didn't, just putting into a different overhead instead. Sounds like they were being jerks about it, got called out on it, and got pissy with the crew and asked if the FA had been drinking. Only then they offered to comply and put it under the seat. By then it was too late and they were tossed.

"....they first put the cake in an overhead bin, but a flight attendant "nicely" asked them to remove it. So he moved it to another one, he said....

JetBlue said in a statement that "the customers became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crewmember's fitness to fly." They also "refused to speak with a team leader about the situation," the airline said..

"According to the airline, "All customers are welcome to bring onboard one carry-on and one personal item, including cakes, within the size limits.".

buckeyefanflyer

If they want to put the cake in the overhead bin don't they have the right to. I myself always follow the direction given to me by crew members. I have a small carry on bag on many trips and often I am asked to take it from the bin if room is needed for larger bags and move it under the seat in front of me. This causes me issues sometimes as I like the area there clear for my feet. Don't I have the right to keep the small bag in the overhead bin. If there is not enough room for larger bags they should be checked in. If there is a shortage of space airlines don't charge you to check a bag.

pruss2ny

not sure I see your reasoning...just because the situation had de-escalated with LEO coming on board, doesn't mean that there was no situation...and while in the video the officer says "no one did anything wrong" he also slides in that they are being removed from the flight....not sure that he is making a pronouncement of innocence/guilt so much as facilitating a calm deplaning.

If anything the video the father shot doesn't debunk the idea that the family had been disruptive.

Doc Savage

If someone implied that I was drunk at work, I'd be extremely annoyed. Stating it out loud might actually be legally actionable. That's really a serious allegation, and I can see why the captain decided to let them find other means of transport.

moreofless

The airline have created an antagonistic and confrontational attitude between themselves and their customers with all the fees, restrictions, etc. These people were trying to bring a special cake for some celebration. The employees of JetBlue should have used good customer service to make sure the cake was put in a good location. The airline industry as a whole treats passengers like cargo instead of like valuable customers.

I would bet Southwest would have handled this situation differently.

Collierkr

You actually do not have a right to an overhead bin. You have the ability to bring two bags on board that meet the sizing requirements with understanding that one would go at your feet. However, if you only bring one bag the FA has the authority to instruct you to put in under your seat to make room for larger bags.

And by the way- this allows for faster and more efficient boarding process.