The Fiendly Skies
In the snowstorms that blanketed the east coast last week, Jet Blue airlines got caught with their flaps down. If it had only been about widespread flight cancellations nobody would have noticed. But Jet Blue had people trapped in planes on runways for up to ten hours, in most cases with "overused" (translation: disgusting) toilet facilities, and nothing to drink or eat. The upshot was a public apology, and the issuance by Jet Blue of a new "Passengers' Bill of Rights." Now there's talk of a federally mandated Bill of Rights for passengers. Huh? It used to be if a company screwed up, people stopped using their service or product, and they went out of business. This thing could spread. Next thing you know there'll be diners' rights in restaurants. If they get an order wrong, the mashed potatoes are cold, or the steak is overcooked, management will be in violation. We'll have audience rights in the theatre. The actors stink? Violation, pay a fine. Guests' rights in hotels. "I didn't get mints on my pillow before I went to bed." But air travel is getting worse and worse, and it's not just the airlines. The other day the pilot of a commercial jet with 158 souls on board asked permission for an immediate emergency landing because he was running low on fuel. The controller on duty refused his request and made him circle around to a different runway, taking significantly longer. How about the passengers' right to get back on the ground alive?
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:09 AM
5 Comments:
John... I was reading somewhere just yesterday where restaurants (somewhere in Europe) are looking at charging a surcharge for food left on plates in an attempt to curb waste! Man... I'll be interested to see if they make that one stick! LOL
Visions of Mr. Bean spring to mind feeding the sashimi he didn't like into the nearest planter box... or worse into his neatly folded handkerchief! LOL LOL
Sheesh, my computer has become a critic as it just wiped out my comment.
This is a great cartoon, made me laugh out loud.
The news today is even weirder than usual. People suing the city, Judges giving a baby the body of it's parent, Jet Blue granting passengers a 'bill of rights', holy cow, when did they become founding fathers? Congress sensing media coverage getting into the act. Going to bed and putting the pillow over my head!
Great commentary today as usual.
Right On John. I go into a trance when I fly. I'd love to go to Ausrtalia again but the 14 hour flight from the west coast had me wondering whether I could stand it. If it weren't for the family I would consider emigration to spare the return.lol Of course jean is there so that makes it more attractive.roger
It's funny how our "inalienable rights" consistently inch further into a widening spectrum of absurdity. What a pampered lot we are! Surely the exploited peoples of third world countries view our self absorbtion with utter shock and disgust.
John, your cartoons are not only hilarious, (and well drawn) but they have ring of honest truth as well. I think they would be a tremendous asset to the commentary of a news magazine!
Jean, what a disaster it would be if Americans were forced to eat everything on their plate! The servings here are so large that our already bloated bodies would pop! I like the idea of a surcharge though! It would help people to understand that food is a precious commodity and shouldn't be wasted!
Great comments, folks. Y'all make this fun for me!
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