“Attention All Passengers: It’s the Weather”

Everyone has been asking for it and finally winter has a grip on parts of the East and again in the Midwest. I had an opportunity to travel to Florida last week. When I left Maine at 6am on Monday, it was a balmy 7 degrees (-10 wind-chill). With all the chaos caused by winter weather I was caught up in the thrill of flying but it wasn’t the weather. In my case I managed 2 mechanical delays on two different flights. Six hours later I arrived. It was worth the wait…. Florida weather was magnificent. I drove through Alligator Alley (between Miami and Tampa) and didn’t see even one beast. In Maine we have Moose Crossing signs but I rarely see them at these spots.

For many parts of the US and Canada, we think that there is more winter, but not much more. We talk about storms at the end of February and then early March. As we move into mid March, we call for thunderstorms and rains that sound more like Spring. If so, this has been an unusually short winter for the East and a rough one for the Midwest and Northwest. Let’s see what happens.

Anyone who travels frequently knows that it can be difficult at times. It is one thing to get to the airport hours early and another to sit on planes for countless hours. The mess involving Jet Blue reminded me of our 1995 Patient’s Bill of Rights. Our plan was to charge or receive free services from doctors who keep patients waiting. It was a campaign that most people could associate. So, when the CEO of Jet Blue went on TV for damage control I saluted his efforts to right a wrong. Known for their quality service, the weather and internal problems sent them into a tailspin.

I am all for repaying customers when they sit for an unusual amount of time. I hope the Jet Blue’s proposal becomes widespread among all carriers. The one thing that drives me “crazy” is how poorly businesses communicate during difficult times. Part of our Patient’s Bill of Rights simply asked doctors to phone home if they are going to be late or advise us in the waiting room of expected delays. Ditto for the airlines. One friend sat a full 4 hours in an airport past departure time before the airline made any mention of when they might depart. How difficult is it to say we will not depart on time and we have no clue why?? Anything is better than no communications. Pilots and airport staff could keep tempers down by being considerate.

Later this week I will share the logic behind “In Like a Lion…. Out like a Lamb” weatherism for the month of March. Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: Winter, JetBlue