JetBlue introduces customer bill of rights
In the US, JetBlue Airways has introduced a customer promise and compensation programme called 'The JetBlue Customer Bill of Rights' - an initiative that is sure to boost customers' loyalty to the airline at a time when delays are a common occurrence for most air passengers.
The main provisions of the new bill of rights include:
- Notifications JetBlue will notify customers of the following:· Delays prior to scheduled departure;· Cancellations and their cause;· Diversions and their cause.
- Ground delays JetBlue will take the necessary action to deplane customers if an aircraft is ground-delayed for five hours. JetBlue Captains have discretion if the aircraft is positioned and almost ready for take-off.
- Taxi delays If a flight lands and is unable to taxi in to a gate right away, the following compensation will be made for customers: If delayed by 30-60 minutes, the customer receives a US$25 voucher toward the purchase of their next JetBlue flight. If delayed by 1-2 hours they receive a US$100 voucher. If delayed 2-3 hours they receive a voucher for the full amount of their one-way fare. If delayed more than 4 hours, they receive a voucher for the full amount of their round trip.
- Departure ground delays If a flight has a ground delay on departure, the following compensations apply: If delayed by 3-4 hours customers receive a US$100 voucher, or if more than 4 hours they receive a voucher for the full amount of their original round trip.
- Flight cancellations If a flight is cancelled within 12 hours of scheduled departure, and it is a situation within the control of the company (as opposed to weather or air traffic control delays), customers may choose a full refund or a full credit, as well as a voucher valued at the cost of their original round-trip.
- Airline-controlled delays If JetBlue delays a flight in a situation within the company's control, customers can expect the following compensation: If delayed by 1-2 hours they receive a US$25 voucher. If delayed 2-4 hours they receive a US$50 voucher. If delayed by 4-6 hours they receive a voucher valid for the full amount of their one-way fare. Finally, if delayed more than 6 hours they receive a voucher for the full amount of their round trip.
In addition to the key provisions of the bill of rights, the airline says it will form a customer advisory council that will be consulted with regards to ongoing improvement programmes.
Future improvements Other areas under review include:
- Cross-training non-operational crewmembers and assigning secondary responsibilities to support the operation in the event of a significant disruption;
- Improving functionality on jetblue.com to support customer needs and allow JetBlue reservations and central baggage to maintain low on-hold time for customers;
- Improving communications at the airport, so information on available aircraft, flight crews and ground conditions is uniformly shared and decisions based on the most reliable data.
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