[Karen D.]

After two weeks of trying to get over the horrible flight I endured, I have decided to take my story to you as well as the internet. August 11 got to the airport and were told the flight was delayed an hour due to weather. No problem Orlando is a great airport. We boarded the plane and were ready to take off when it was discovered a passenger had an oversized pet carrier. How this got by security and then by the gate and the crew is unacceptable. Any way, we then waited 45 minutes for a new carrier, which the passenger was going to purchase. In the meantime we were told we lost our clearance to take off. People started to complain that a whole plane full of people were delayed over a dog. The crew then told us, we would not have been able to take off anyway. Big lie, my husband had frequent flyer miles so he flew out on Delta. His plane left at 3:10. Outrageous. We were told we had to wait for another advisory. Another 30 minutes went by and we were told we could depart in 1hr 20 minutes. The captain made a great decision to let us off the plane to walk around, eat, etc. The door was broken and we had to wait for it to be fixed. Again, unacceptable. 50 minutes. When we got off, we had 15 minutes. I went to try to change our seats. I was flying with my sisters, their husbands and children. We all have allergies and the dog was near us. We were told we could not change seats, plane was just about full. Fine, I switched seats with my niece ( whose allergies are worse than mine ). I asked for just my seat to be changed. I was issued a new boarding pass for seat6C. Guess what, there was a passenger with the same seat on their their ticket. How did this happen? Anyway, I wen t back to my niece's seat which was either 18c or 19 c. The dog was directly under me. We finally left at 7:00 the back of the plane smelled so bad because of the dog, who had vommitted and gone to the bathroom. It was disgusting. We finally landed at 10:00. When I went to get my carry on, I discovered the first dog cage was put next to my cloth bag. Everything in it is ruined. I had to go to the ER the next morning for a shot for my allergies. Also, your 800 number had that plane was in the air at 4:00 when my 70 year old parents left Plymouth, an hour away from the airport to pick us up. At 6 we paged them at Logan, and gave them the message to go home. They have no cell phone.
I would like to know who made the call to wait for the dog situation to be settled. I would like to know how the dog got by the crew in the first place. I would like to know why the crew lied to us about no planes being able to take off. I would like to know why it took 50 minutes to repair door and why the door was broken. I would like to know why the 800 number said we had left when we clearly had not. I would like a copy of the manifest of the flight. I want you to know what this flight cost me. $84.00 for my Very Bradley carry on, $110.00 Belle costume, purchased for my niece, completely ruined by the smell of the cage.$50.00 t shirt and sweatshirt from Disney as souvenirs.$50.00 co payment at doctor's office and $144.00 in shuttle tickets for the family. $60.00 cab fare. $22.00 Disney beach towel. Now the worst part, the dog had fleas. I had little bites on my feet when I went tot he er and asked. They told me they were flea bites. I, nor anyone I had visited has a pet. I then had to have my car cleaned at $60.00

By the way, I did not mention that on our way down we were also delayed due to weather. Again, understandable. I was with just one sister, so we changed our flight to an earlier one, which was still leaving hours late. I was told it would be 40.00 each. I was charged 150.00 for one and 40.00 for another, which has been fixed, but it took me 35 minutes on the phone. Shame on Jet Blue. I would like an immediate response, or I will hit the internet with my story. Not a threat, but I think it is immportant for other passengers on that flight to know we were lied to and that the dog had fleas. Jet Blue put the needs of a dog ahead of hundreds odf people.
This was my response;
Dear Karen ,

Thank you for contacting JetBlue Airways regarding your concerns about your experience on flight 438 from Orlando to Boston August 11, 2008.

We appreciate your understanding that weather delays can and do happen. As safety is the highest concern we will always follow the guidance of Air Traffic Control. In reviewing the circumstances of flight 438 we see that there was an Air Traffic Control delay listed of 4 hours and 25 minutes.

The only pet on the flight was traveling with a family of 5. It seems crewmembers thought that getting an a new pet carrier wold be a better choice than trying to accommodate the five of them on another flight. Unfortunately getting the new carrier took longer than expected. Pets on JetBlue Airways must be in a carrier and under the seat. The pet carrier can fit under a window or an aisle
seat.

We sincerely apologize that the pet created discomfort for you. Most often a pet onboard does not create a problem. We are sorry to hear of your experience. We were also sorry to hear that you felt that your checked bag was damaged by being in the same cargo as an empty pet carrier. On public transportation it does happen occasionally that a smell may be picked up from other bags. This is generally handled by cleaning the bag.
They gave me a $50.00 credit, you do the math....

[jimworcs]

I am surprised there was room in a pet carrier for a dog to be able to go to the bathroom. Did it have a wash basin so he could wash his paws after?

I can understand that you are annoyed at being held up by a dog, but such a co-incidence that all five of your family are "allergic" to them, and managed to get through the whole flight without any problems and then only had to go to the ER the following day. Lucky you having the kind of allergy which operates on a time delay. After 24 hours does that still count as an emergency? Of course, flea bites on the other hand are a major emergency, and I hope the ER doctor called down the truama team and crash cart and got your emergency sorted. I hope you didn't have to wait behind someone with a trivial complaint like being run over by a car or something.

[rerere]

They gave me a $50.00 credit, you do the math....






Well, you should be happy they gave you any money at all. It wasn't JetBlue's falt about the weather and mechanical problem, but thaT $50.00 credit is enough to cover your experience with the pet.