We keep an eye on David Neeleman’s blog to see what he has to say about things. He acknowledged that people have some issues with the term Controllable Irregularity and clarified them himself…
What are some examples of Controllable Irregularities?
“Controllable” means “within JetBlue’s control.” Some examples include: gate unavailability upon arrival; flight delay or cancellation due to mechanical reasons; crew unavailability due to something other than weather or some other Uncontrollable event.What are some examples of Uncontrollable Irregularities?
“Uncontrollable” means “outside of JetBlue’s control.” Some examples include: weather-related delays or cancellations; Air Traffic Control-mandated ground delay or ground stop programs; decisions by airport authorities that impact JetBlue’s operations, such as runway closures, construction or maintenance of airport properties.Is it possible for an Uncontrollable Event to turn into a Controllable Event?
Yes. In the case of weather, which is Uncontrollable, delays or cancellations from which JetBlue should have reasonably recovered may be considered Controllable depending on the severity of the weather. Example: A 2-day blizzard hits the Northeast. JetBlue should be able to position aircraft and flight crews for recovery within a reasonable amount of time after the blizzard. Airports must be fully open, and ground equipment must be fully available before JetBlue can recover from the Uncontrollable Event take full responsibility for any delays or cancellations.
It still gives Jetblue a lot of power to say what is and is not reasonable, but we think public opinion should define that. And hopefully, new Chief Operating Officer Russ Chew, who comes to Jetblue with years of operations experience, will implement the sweeping changes the public demands.