So, here’s a travel tale for you: Yesterday, my flight out of Atlanta (ATL) was supposed to take off at 1:00 PM. JetBlue, always diligent with updates, sent me a series of texts about delays—first 1:40, then 2:00, and finally a laid-back 3:45 PM. With the last update promising a late afternoon departure, I figured I had all the time in the world to get to the airport. But then, out of nowhere, they decided to move the departure up to 2:20 PM!
Cue the mad dash. I quickly arranged my car service to Atlanta airport and raced through the terminal, barely making it to the gate by 2:00 PM. Out of breath and sweating, I was greeted with the lovely news that the flight had already closed. The plane was still sitting there on the runway, but nope, no boarding for me. The next JetBlue flight to Austin (AUS)? Not until much later that night. Perfect.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I booked a last-minute flight on United and decided to deal with JetBlue later. Once I landed, thanks to my reliable car service from Austin airport, I reached out to JetBlue to see if I could at least get a credit for the flight I missed. Their response? A polite but firm, “Nope, you should’ve been at the airport on time.” Apparently, all those texts they sent did mention sticking to the original schedule—who knew, right?
Not one to let things slide, I decided to go straight to the top. I contacted JetBlue’s CEO, not really expecting much, but to my surprise, her office responded almost immediately. They not only refunded my missed flight but also gave me a $100 credit for a future trip! Talk about turning things around. JetBlue went from frustrating to fantastic in no time, and honestly, they’ve secured my loyalty for the long haul.
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So, Should You Arrive On Time If Your Flight Is Delayed?
Absolutely. I learned the hard way that airlines can change delay times without much notice. One minute you’re taking it easy, the next you’re sprinting through the airport. Being at the airport early means you won’t miss your flight if it suddenly decides to leave earlier than expected. Plus, you’ll have some extra time to handle last-minute hassles, check your bags, and breeze through security. Think of it as a stress-free pre-flight warm-up.
TUXEDO’s Pro Tip:
At TUXEDO, we often get clients asking to push back their pickup time when their flight gets delayed. Our advice? Stick to the original schedule. Airlines have a funny way of moving up departure times at the last minute. The last thing you want is to miss your flight because you were too confident in those delays. By sticking to your plan, you’ll avoid any last-minute surprises—because as I learned, “delayed” can quickly turn into “undelayed”!
