Connections

So far, so good; it’s a quiet morning. But with 4 year old twins sleeping nearby, there is no guarantee that the silence will last. Both the cat and I are taking no chances and we’re tiptoeing past the door to their room.

What’s new? The one story I keep reading about, the JetBlue story; has turned into a couple of news items. First, JetBlue kept a number of passengers on their planes for an extended period of time (11 hours) during a storm. Now Congress is debating a ‘passenger’s rights bill’ that would give airline passengers some protection from the airlines. The airlines, in general, deny that there is any need for such a bill and are asking the Congress to drop the whole thing. JetBlue, to their credit, is admitting that a terrible thing had happened and is asking their passengers to forgive them.

As a former frequent flyer I can make a valid comment (or more). I do know that there is a thin veneer of civility between passengers and crew on most flights. And you can feel the tension that exists between the two. Say the wrong thing or smile inappropriately and the wrath of a flight crew can descend upon the passenger without warning. The flight crew has the ‘power’ and they know it! Being subservient is not an option for them.

I was stuck on a plane for only 6 hours, so I can’t even imagine 11 hours! We had pulled away from the gate at Sacramento and then the engines stopped and the pilot told us that we were going to wait for a break in the fog. So we sat; looking through the windows at the warm and spacious terminal, where others looked back at us. For 6 hours. After that time, the pilot did move the plane back to the gate and we were told that we could leave the plane and stretch our legs…as long as we stayed within the confines of the jet way and the boarding area. Unfortunately, a few passengers made the mistake of taking this moment of freedom too far and they went to the restrooms. Real restrooms. Of course that coincided with a call from our pilot to get back in our seats; the fog had lifted and we were on our way. Minus the passengers that had erred by straying. I mentioned to the flight attendant that the two people who had been sitting directly in front of me were not on board. Oops! I had crossed the line and received a wrathful glare that quickly made me remember who was in charge!

When I got off the plane in Chicago, I remember looking at the empty spaces in front of me. Almost empty. The two abandoned travelers had left their personal belongings in the seats, briefcase, jackets, a book or two. Even a pair of glasses. And I wondered how the airline justified their actions? We were already 6 hours late! No one made their connecting flight. C’mon…what would it have taken to make sure that all were aboard?

And whenever I hear the airlines moan about their troubles…I remember the empty seats on that plane. Go for it Congress!