[eaw13]

A quick rebuttal:

(1) I am not taking the cabbie at his word. The cabbie offered an alternative explanation for the cancellation that was consistent with the facts on the ground. Indeed, Gromit801 has provided further information concerning runway construction that tends to confirm what the cabbie said rather than refute it. JetBlue, on the other hand, offered an explanation that made no sense whatsoever. The flight was canceled a day in advance due to "winter weather" that seems to have effected only JetBlue flights, and only those out of JFK. Strange weather...

(2) The fact that the source of the cabbie's information may have been angry passengers does nothing to decrease his credibility. To the contrary, even.

(3) If it was because of runway construction rather than some kind of miraculous winter storm that the flight was canceled, was JetBlue somehow caught unaware? Were they not advised well in advance about the runway construction? Or did a pilot notice it for the first time on his way in?

If - as seems likely - they knew there would be runway construction and that consequently they would have to cancel flights, why did they continue selling tickets for these flights? Why not simply reduce the number of flights going in and out of JFK until the construction was completed?

(4) I am sympathetic to the plight of the airlines, especially those servicing JFK, an airport that appears to be run by 2 chimps and a parrot. That said, why not be honest with the customer and say, look, JFK is a mess, and consequently we have the choice of either cancelling flights or paying hefty fines? Why not respect your customers instead of lying to them?