Happy Jetting!

My wife and I just returned from an amazing trip to the Bahamas.

I could go on and on about Paradise Island, pool bars, beaches, crystal clear ocean, or learning to scuba dive but the experience that most impressed me was very unexpected...JetBlue.

I fly five to ten times a year. I fly out of Burlington, Manchester, and Boston depending on my destination. For whatever reason, I have never flown JetBlue. Yes, I had heard about the TVs, legroom, and service but our paths had never crossed. On this recent trip, JetBlue simply was the easy choice. Not knowing what to expect, I looked forward to experiencing the airline.

It started at check-in...my bag (not my wife's) was over the weight limit. After weighing both our bags, the two people at the counter said "we" are repacking your bags so you don't get charged extra. Syrup (we were bringing as gifts), snorkeling gear, and some clothes were moved from one suitcase to the other. Both agents smiled as the bags weighed in at 49 pounds each and followed it up with "Mr. and Mrs. Loehr thanks for flying with us...have an awesome vacation". Happy to have avoided the overweight charge, appreciative of the service...off we went to the terminal. I'm convinced that through osmosis the JetBlue culture has even infected the TSA agents. There was no screaming about shoes, lighters, laptops, or liquids. They smiled...I'm serious...I had a TSA agent look me right in the eye and SMILE!!! They actually welcomed us, did their jobs and ushered us through the security gauntlet with no wand waving, pat downs, or special screening. We were two for two so far...I wanted to see how far this would go. Boarding the plane was uneventful except for the gate agent who after taking our ticket stubs said "We appreciate you flying with us...happy jetting". I was honestly impressed.

The seats were leather, they were large, great leg room, and the TV was a blessing (football was on). Before taking off the pilot came out and greeted the passengers and announced that we would be getting off the ground shortly and we could expect a smooth flight to Fargo, North Dakota...everyone paused...and then laughed. I'm sure he's used a similar line hundreds of times...I don't care...I ate the whole thing up. As we pushed back from the terminal and taxied to the runway. This is when it happened. I thought I was going to pass out. Looking past my wife and down on the tarmac, I was amazed to see the gate agents, maintenance staff and luggage handlers all in a line waving to the passengers.

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! PINCH ME!!! I MUST BE DREAMING!!!

Did they use magical pixie dust? Spike the kool-aid? Something "different" is going on in JetBlueLand and I for one love it. The rest of my flights and experience with JetBlue actually improved from there. Snacks and beverages were included in my airfare (what a concept). Complimentary high speed internet access in JFK allowed me to get caught up on work after eight days of suffering Bahamian style.

My hotels team members pride themselves on offering similar "wow" experiences for our guests. Feedback on the service they provide is overwhelmingly positive. On a daily basis, guests share JetBlue like experiences with me. In today's economic culture, you would think providing quality service would be the norm. Instead, as companies make staffing reductions and try to cut costs, we end up with even worse service then before. The part that drives me crazy is that providing exceptional service doesn't cost a penny...conversly...poor service can cost you millions. I'm guessing that JetBlue and my company have similar corporate cultures...hire the right people, provide quality training to new hires, encourage team members to genuinely care about their role, continue to provide training and eductional opportunitues, give them the tools needed to do the job, promote from within, and recognize team members that go above and beyond the call of duty.

For my hard earned money...I'm flying JetBlue