[NAGDU] Horrible Experience with JetBlue

[Suzette May]

Hi Michael,

I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Have you let the school know? They
have people on staff that handles things like this. If you haven’t, I would
let them know. Hopefully there isn’t a next time but if it’s possible I
would get on the phone with T S E while it’s happening at the first sign
they are blaming you.

Does NFB have someone knowledgeable about the various laws and acts on call
after hours for when these things happen after business hours? There is no
excuse for airline staff acting like that.

Suzette May
PS139.13 at gmail.com


On Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 4:21 PM Michael Forzano via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
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
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ps139.13%40gmail.com
>