A plea to Jet Blue

I heard back from April at the American Cancer Society. She basically said that they took the travel vouchers "as is" and isn't willing to intercede with Jet Blue on my behalf. According to her, hundreds of other vouchers are given to ACS each year and no one else has this problem. Hmm. Really?  I'll admit to being disappointed in ACS for not even giving it a shot. From what I can tell, this person has a national job with the organization and is not one of the people here in San Diego. I'm trying very hard to not let this turn me off of the whole organization.

In any event, I am sending an e-mail to Jet Blue's Southwestern regional marketing director today to plead my case. I don't know what the outcome will be, but want to give Jet Blue an opportunity to come through and be awesome.  If they refuse, I'm not sure what I'll do. Perhaps just chalk it up to the trip not being in God's will. I have friends who suggest I go to the media to expose the situation. I don't know. I'm hoping that this person will have the heart to help us out.

Here is the text of my message to him. Please pray that it is read with favor and that it is effective:

Dear Mr. R,

 

I am writing to you in the hopes that you can help me with something.  I was the recipient of 4 travel vouchers that Jet Blue donated to the American Cancer Society. (I am a 2010 Pacesetter for their "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk in San Diego this past year.)  I've tried on two separate occasions to redeem them and have been told that the vouchers are "capacity controlled" and cannot be booked for travel on dates that are remotely convenient for my family and I. I am hoping that you would find a way to remove that restriction. Let me tell you why.

 

In normal circumstances, I would agree that it is my problem. In fact, when I tried to redeem 2 of the vouchers last December and was unable, I gave up on the idea of a holiday trip. After all, it was New Years, and I could understand how flights would be unavailable. I attempted this week to redeem the 4 vouchers so my three children and I could join my husband in Washington D.C. during the last week of June. I am flexible as to exact dates and am even willing to fly from any airport in Southern California. We just need to overlap a few days during that last week of June. But there was nothing until July 2nd.

 

You see, I was diagnosed with breast cancer last June at the age of 40. My youngest child wasn't even two years old at the time. In the past 9 months, my family has watched me go through my treatments which have included a double mastectomy to remove a 3.5 c.m. tumor from my left breast and 5 cancerous lymph nodes, 6 rounds of chemotherapy, 33 radiation treatments. I also developed an incurable chronic complication from my surgery called lymphedema, which results in my left arm and hand being subject to swelling because the lymph nodes were removed on that side and thus my body cannot circulate lymphatic fluid on its own.  After all we have been through, we could really use a change of scenery. Unfortunately, each time our family's schedule will permit a getaway, Jet Blue doesn't have the flights because of this "capacity control" restriction.  Two of the vouchers expire on July 14th, so there is no way will be able to use them as they are.

 

I am hoping that you will find it in your heart and power to have this restriction removed so we can take the kids to Washington D.C. for the last week of June. You would have in me (and my family) lifelong and loyal customers of Jet Blue. I have many friends who would also think highly of your company if you could make this happen. You would be helping us fulfill one of my "bucket wish list" items as well.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration,

 

Tonya Jamois

Frustrated!

One of the "silver lining" of this cancer experience has been meeting great people at the American Cancer Society. Because of my involvement with their "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" last fall, I was given 2 round trip tickets anywhere Jet Blue flies (nonstop) at the end of last year. Eric and I tried to book a flight from San Diego to New York City for New Years, but there were no flights available. Bummer! But I figured, it is New Years, and I could see how demand was high.

Well, my luck doubled, because I was put into a drawing for 2 more tickets on Jet Blue. Wouldn't you know it...I won! So now I have 4 round trip tickets on Jet Blue. Wow!  Eric and I looked at the calendar, and he had to be in San Diego for the kids' Spring break. But the last week of June, he had a conference in Washington D.C. I had the bright idea that the kids and I could use the free tickets and go the same week he was there. He could add a few days on either end of his conference and we could see the sights.

It was like God was opening the door for our family to have a fun and educational trip. Considering that our family trip last June was canceled because of my diagnosis, I was really looking forward to this.  An added plus was that his company happened to have reserved an extra room at the same hotel that the conference was at that we could use for the kids.

That was, until I called Jet Blue to book the flights today. I was pretty flexible as to the dates of travel. We just needed to overlap with the dates Eric was there.  I was even flexible as to the airport we flew out of. Anywhere in Southern California would do, all the way up to Burbank.

Well...they have NO FLIGHTS AVAILABLE for the month of June. She could only get us there on July 2nd.  What's the point of these ticket vouchers if you can't book any travel? I even asked if they had the "breast cancer survivor special" and explained how I got the vouchers in the first place. (Those who have read Kris Carr's book, "Crazy, Sexy, Cancer" will recognize my attempt at swiping the "cancer card.")  Denied! She said these vouchers were "capacity controlled." I'm not sure what that means, because I'm trying to book travel 3 months in advance. It seems to me that these vouchers aren't worth the paper they are printed on, and I told her that.  In a nice way, of course. She was nice,and I could tell she wished she could change the situation.

She suggested that I contact the person at the American Cancer Society to see if that person (whose name is April) would contact Jet Blue and have the "capacity control" restriction removed. Then she could book us on pretty much any flight. I've done that, but have yet to hear back.

I know its not a life or death thing, but I would appreciate prayer that April would take my case up with Jet Blue and that Jet Blue would do the right thing and remove the restriction so we could take the kids to Washington D.C. in June. We need this. I need this. It's not the Bahamas or some sandy beach somewhere. But the kids were all jazzed about the museums and monuments.  The history, the educational possibilities....  I was looking forward to seeing a couple of cousins I have in the area, too. All of the other pieces of this trip just seemed to fall into place. But we definitely can't afford to fly the kids and I out there on our own.  So this will definitely need to be kicked up to a higher level. I've done all I can do to make this happen.

I now need God's intervention, so I figured I would enlist my faithful prayer warriors. Thank you!