Jaunting to St. Thomas Via JetBlue

Seated outside Terminal C at Boston’s Logan Airport we bided our time for a long-awaited trip to St. Thomas and SugarBay – excited at the prospect of experiencing JetBlue’s new non-stop flight from Boston to the sun-filled beaches of St. Thomas. Unfortunately, the check-in desk featured precious-little activity – never a good sign when it takes place 15 minutes before the scheduled boarding time.

But what happened next represented what sets JetBlue apart from so many other airlines. The pilot – yes, the pilot – stepped to the desk, picked up the microphone, and let us all know that the crew had identified an issue with the plane’s rear door. The plan? The hangar crew would either fix it, or if it couldn’t happen within a reasonable time frame, we’d get a new plane. He then let us know that he’d be happy to answer any questions we had. He and the co-pilot remained in the gate area, and a little bit later, the crew let us know we would, indeed, get another plane.

By 11 a.m. we had boarded the plane, pushed back from the gate, and headed for the U.S. Virgin Islands – not bad for a 9:15 a.m., scheduled departure time. And, once we boarded, the pilot stepped outside the cockpit, welcomed us aboard, and apologized for the delay. Moreover, our seasoned, fun, and courteous three-person crew seamlessly blended safety instructions, service, and an effusive Caribbean-bound spirit to make for a fabulous flight.

And, what’s not to love about the typical JetBlue touches? First checked bag free, extra legroom, boxes of tasty snacks for purchase, and on this particular flight, we left the satellite TV service, and the airline provided free movies instead. Best of all, our inspiring pilot worked some tailwind magic and allowed us to land in St. Thomas in time to hit the pool.

And our travel experience proved even happier on our return flight. JetBlue cancelled the St. Thomas to San Juan refueling leg, meaning we arrived back in Boston via a direct flight – one hour ahead of schedule. A great end to a great getaway.

Disclosure: Two members of the Mom Central Consulting team were invited to attend the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Winter Warm-Up and won a random drawing of a four-day, three-night complimentary trip to St. Thomas, with airfare for two provided by JetBlue.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.