Jet Blues--Blues A Common Tune

The airlines have a problem and it's not just Jet blue. You may have heard about the utter atrocity and cruel treatment of some of this airline's customers were kept in custody in the confines of their aircraft for an unbelievable 11 hours before taking off. I'll spare you details of the conditions inside the craft but you can probably imagine that the plane was not equipped for that kind of delay and overwhelmed the planes septic system, its food capabilities and any humane consideration of its passengers.

This was an extreme situation to be sure but no less serious situations are a matter of course on all airlines these days and needs to be addressed legally.

I have personally been held hostage--against my will--on an airplane being forced to sit in a sweltering cabin (aircraft air conditioning does work well when the plane is on the ground) for over two hours waiting to take off. Believe me, I would have rather walked.

David Neeleman-CEO of Jet Blue--has posted a personal apology and action plan on You Tube. I was impressed as his speech was not scripted, and he listed specifics of how and why this will never happen again. Frankly--if I were flying next week, I would choose Jet Blue because you know that in light of this, they will be trying harder--much harder--to win their clients back.

But as I said, the airline industry is in shambles and it's not because of the cost of fuel or the amount of travel. Everyone knows things happen that no can control but it is the perpetual lying the airlines do that puts people over the edge.

I have personally been boarded onto a jet being told the flight was right on time the personnel who boarded us knew the flight was delayed--a long time. I have had my luggage checked in and booking all finished when in fact, the flight had been cancelled long before. As I already mentioned, more than once I have been incarcerated in a sweltering, claustrophobic cabin waiting for a weather clearance out on the tarmac numerous times for longer than is reasonable.

At the end of the day, if the inmates at Gitmo were treated the way passengers are often treated on commercial aircraft, there would be a major uproar by human rights groups across the globe.

It's way past time, that someone starts examining the horrendous and inhumane treatment of passengers on our commercial airlines.

Honesty and consideration aren't just good policies for Christians; they're great policies for business as well.