[NAGDU] Horrible Experience with JetBlue

Thu Feb 22 02:15:52 UTC 2024

Michael,

Thank you for this excellent complaint. You've laid out the complaint clearly and completely.

Among the many things you did well in the complaint, I so appreciate that you wrote about the emotional toll these horrible incidents take: "It was beyond embarrassing and the emotional toll this incident has taken on me is significant."

Surely many of us have a post traumatic stress experience when we travel. We fear there will be yet another incident and dread future  travel.

I wish you the best. May Jet Blue be made to make this right. May TSA end this ridiculous quagmire .

Richard Petty
Richard.petty at earthlink.net

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Al Sten-Clanton via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 5:37 PM
To: Michael Forzano via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Al Sten-Clanton <albert.e.sten_clanton at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Horrible Experience with JetBlue

Hi, Michael.  I'm certainly sorry that you had this abysmal experience.

Take care!

Al Sten-Clanton

On 2/21/24 17:20, Michael Forzano via NAGDU wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Below is the text of the DOT complaint I submitted yesterday regarding my
> experience with JetBlue this past Sunday. I wanted to post here so the
> board is aware in case it helps in our advocacy efforts, and so that the
> NAGDU community is informed of the kinds of experience that await you if
> you choose to fly this airline.
>
> On February 18, 2024, I traveled from New York (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale
> (FLL) on JetBlue flight 1401. I am blind and travel with a Seeing Eye dog.
> I filled out the required DOT form weeks before my flight and received the
> email from the Open Doors Organization, which JetBlue partners with, that
> my travel was approved. At JFK Terminal 5, JetBlue has instructed the TSA
> boarding pass checkers not to let anyone with a dog through unless they
> have the dog listed on their boarding pass. Mine was not, so I was told
> that I needed to go to the check in counter. I refused and asked to speak
> with a supervisor. As I checked in online, I should not have to go stand in
> another line and requiring this of me is discriminatory.
>
>
>
> Most of the employees I dealt with were rude and confrontational, and would
> not listen when I explained that I had filled out the form and it had been
> approved. I even showed them the approval email from Open Doors which
> confirmed I was approved to fly with my guide dog on the applicable
> confirmation number. The email is also attached to this complaint. I was
> even asked to fill out the form again despite having the email proving I
> had already filled it out. As a totally blind person, filling out a print
> copy of a form is not something I am capable of doing. I had to argue with
> 4 different people before a supervisor finally agreed to just add my dog to
> the reservation. At the end of it, I was told that it was a glitch in the
> system where even though I filled out the form it was not linked to my
> reservation. The last employee I spoke to even said he has a family member
> who has a guide dog, and this happens to them all the time. This is
> absolutely unacceptable. All said and done, I wasted a half hour of my
> time, with my girlfriend and I standing there humiliated as people streamed
> past us going through TSA. It was beyond embarrassing and the emotional
> toll this incident has taken on me is significant. I worry that in the
> future, I will end up missing a flight because an issue such as this one
> occurs.
>
>
>
> It's one thing to have these burdensome forms to deal with, but another for
> the systems to not work correctly so that people who follow the rules are
> still penalized. I fly every month and have flown just about every US
> airline since the regulations have gone into effect and this is by far the
> worst experience I have had. Most airlines are at least respectful and do
> their best to work with us, but not JetBlue. Throughout the whole ordeal, I
> was talked down to as if I didn't know what I was doing and this was my
> fault, and it took literally half an hour and 4 people for them to admit
> that the airline dropped the ball.
>
>
> I am filing this complaint as JetBlue needs to be held accountable for
> their mistake. I would like to be made aware of steps that JetBlue is
> taking to prevent this from happening again. The systems need to be
> rectified so that the forms are correctly added to the reservation when
> filled out, and JetBlue employees need training on how to interact with
> customers with disabilities and how to treat them with the dignity and
> respect they deserve.
>
>
> In addition to the DOT complaint, a complaint was filed on my behalf by
> airport staff. JetBlue responded today, denying any wrongdoing under the
> DOT rules. They stated that my dog was added to the reservation on December
> 31, when I filled out the form, and that she wasn't listed on the boarding
> pass due to a technical glitch. Despite having to relive the entire
> experience on a phone conversation with their executive team, they were not
> at all apologetic about the conduct of their employees and refused to offer
> me any compensation even when I explicitly asked for it. Apparently, we are
> expected to live with these "technical glitches" and just suck it up and
> deal when we are held up at the airport. They have also given me no
> guarantee that this won't happen on my return flight on Saturday. At this
> point, I'm considering cancelling and booking with another airline, even if
> it would cost me over $600 for my girlfriend and I.
>
>
> I'm truly frustrated with not only what happened but their totally
> inadequate response as well.
>
>
> -Michael
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