Weather in NYC & Jet Blue
 

OK. So there is a little bad weather in NYC today, Friday March 16. And the Jet Blue web site is down all morning?! Server busy?! What the heck...

Don't know where you are but they have cancelled many flights.. WE are having a Noreaster in the Boston area...and not scheduled to end until tomorrow afternoon.

Last I heard, JetBlue cancelled 217 flights. So did many other airlines.

The weather is nasty.

Im supposed to fly out of Laguardia at 6:30am tomorrow on Spirit.....hopefully it wont be cancelled.

stevie, I'm betting your flight originates from LGA. I'd call Spirit later on this evening and find out the plane's schedule for today and keep calling to see the flight eventually makes it into LGA.

Seems that JetBlue has found a way to avoid delays to passengers - just cancel everything.

Here's what's happened so far:

Flights were more or less okay at all three airports until about 9am. Then it really really slowed, especially between 11-12 EDT.

EWR is slightly better, JFK worse and LGA to a halt.

AA, DL and B6 at JFK has either cancelled most of their flights, or are posting very long delays. CO cancelled some flights, but the longhauls from Europe all arrived back, and they should be going out tonite.

The main problem with Jetblue is communications. Like the Valentine's Day meltdown, all their phone lines are jammed, and their online flight status also not working.

Voila. The Catch-22.

Cancel flights and people complain.

Don't cancel flights and (if people are stranded) ... people complain.

I'd suggest that JetBlue has decided to err on the side of mass cancellations given the V-Day debacle.

Yes, what they did is so predictable, not only because of the V-Day debacle, but also their own reaction - with their CEO appearing on all day-time talkshows to tout their "Bill of Rights".

In my opinion, in order to pull themselves out of that fiasco, they tied their own hands. Now, they have much less flexibility in handling situations like this. With flights very full this weekend around Spring Break, it'll take them a long time to accommodate all those passengers that have been so well "protected" by the so-called BOR.

Meanwhile, the phone and website problem showed that after V-Day, while they say that was a major problem, it certainly wasn't urgent enough to get it fixed within a month.

In all honesty the weather is very bad - with lots of sleet and ice on the ground.

And since landings have priority take offs will be delayed for everyone. Also pilots who can get a take off slot are going to want to be sure about de-icing - which means more delays for every take off.

Although Jet Blue is falling apart today AGAIN - it's legitimately a day you can expect delays for all airlines.

I know noone can predict the future - but some of you travel a lot more than I do.
So how does it work for tomorrows flights? Im flying out of LGA at 6;40am.
The precipitation is supposed to stop at 6am. ... Do you think they will be cancelling flights tomorrow am?
And if they dont cancel - does anyone have a guess about what the delays MIGHT be.

steve, if your flight makes it in tonight then it will probably go out tomorrow.

LGA is the least capable airport to cope with weather. In the last 2 hours, they allowed 7 arrivals and one departure (a corporate jet); while over at EWR and JFK, scores of planes have landed, though fewer have taken off.

You'll have some major delays tomorrow morning leaving LGA, that's for sure. Whether it'll be canceled or not, I can't say.

hmmm.....thanks.
I guess I will just have to keep checking the flight status tonight and into early hours of the morning.
It doesnt look good for me though. Im just crossing my fingers that the weather will stop by my flight time tomorrow...and like GoT says that my plane gets into Laguardia...

They have sent out a notice that says I can change my flight (before actual departure time) to another date for no fee. So at least I dont lose my $$$....

But the "event" that I am going to florida for, is this weekend -- so it pretty much wrecks my plans.

I understand canceling flights due to weather. No biggie.

BUT in trying to rebook something EVERY other airline's web sites are working just fine (although there are very few flights available...).

I just think it's annoying that you can't get through to them.

Anyway, Jet Blue told him they can't reschedule him until Tuesday (this is my dad - he's in Fort Meyers trying to get to Rochester NY). I bought him a flight on Northwest tomorrow (first class - yikes). Hopefully that will go.

Flight delays and cancellations occur not only because of local weather and ground conditions, but also because of the availability of planes to carry the flights. Jet Blue chose to cancel flights in the northeast today so their planes don't get marooned here, forcing cancellations in distant cities. Earlier this winter, when Denver was socked in, many flights out of Boston were affected days later, due to lack of equipment and/or crews.

My daughter's (non-Jet Blue) flight took off from Boston on schedule at 2 PM, but the roads were bare at 1 PM and now at 2:30 they are covered.

My husband is flying out on JetBlue on Sunday (LGA) -- he doubts he'll make it out.

steviegene - Amtrak Silver Meteor leaves Penn Station at 3:18p. ;)

---

Two other issues with Jetblue:

1) They don't interline with other airlines. You can get a refund or you go on the next flight with seats - which may be next day, may be next month. They won't let you fly on other airlines. And we know last minute ticket on another airline can cost you an arm and a leg.

2) They went 180-degree in their weather policy. Before V-Day, they and CO were last to cancel and would delay flights and not cancel to get people out. Now they are the first to cancel the largest percentage of flights. It's a very significant change for travelers who used to rely on B6 to get them out regardless. Not saying which is right, which is wrong; but it's a complete opposite of previous policy/philosophy.

Whats silver meteor?
I need to be in DelRay Beach by 3pm!!!

Anyway, Im not flying JetBlue, I just wanted in on the "my flight is going to get cancelled and this really sticks" conversation.

Im actually flying Spirit. I dont know if thats any better than JetBlue. But they've said

My flight from O'Hare leaves at 7AM, and is supposed to land around 11AM in Providence. United is offering to waive change fees, but should I wait until I know for sure the flight is cancelled?

I think United is giving the option to reschedule without a fee - as is Spirit.
But Im in the same boat - I dont know if I get the credit if I wait until the flight is actually cancelled.
I think I do - but Im not sure.

From the United notice:
"Customers with cancelled flights are eligible for a full refund."
Of course, I still need to be in Providence this weekend so this doesn't help my situation! This is going to be a very long weekend at the airport. Best of luck to you.

There are basically no flights departing from EWR and LGA now. Only a handful of international flights from JFK.

It's getting real ugly now.

I'd rather spend an extended number of hours: a) at home, b) in a hotel, c) in the airport, than one a plane that cannot take off, land, and/or deplane.

It's one big horrible mess, that's for sure. But I got a big kick out of the evening news and interviewing people at JFK (I think). Some man says, "there's no excuse and it's all because they just don't care". Huh? I wanted to ask him, if you were the CEO what would you do to get all the planes flying? Some act like there's a big board meeting going on where all the execs are having a party and saying "who cares?". You know they're trying their best -- no matter how frustrating it is to those who are stuck somewhere.

I'd like everyone to consider redefining their word "need" as in "I need to be there by 3:15 P.M. Would you prefer to be late or "the late". The pilots and attendants don't want to become "the late" because of your perceived "need" to be there on time. When the weather gets bad, someone has to make the right decision and the passengers aren't that someone. Cut the airlines a little slack when the weather becomes less than nice.

My father used to say there are only two things you can't be late for -- death and taxes. I know the pressure's on when you're going somewhere, but I agree that worse things can happen than having a flight cancelled -- far worse.

You don't know how lucky you are Patick. We are having a blizzard here in Philly. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day--Christmas for us alcoholics. I don't know how I am supposed to bar hop in all this snow.

Put tire chains on your pogo stick and you can bar hop in incredibly deep snow. ;^)

Flights out of LGA will still be a mess tomorrow am - since a lot of equipment - and some crews - will be in the wrong place.

After a really bad day it usually takes 24 hours to catch up - even for the less bad airlines.

And yes, LGA is always the worst - because it has by far the shortest runways - that end in the bay - and is least capable of dealing with bad weather.

Yes many a drunk person will fall prey to the elusive "is it solid?" question at NYC corner sidewalks tomorrow.

Answer - it's never solid.