JetBlue aims to earn back customers after system meltdown

JetBlue Airways has launcheda high-profile campaign offering a host ofapologiesin a bid to win its customers back following a week-long operational meltdown.

"We are sorry and embarrassed," read a full-page ad published in several U.S. newspapers. "But most of all, we are deeply sorry."

The budget airline, which is popular with many Canadian travellers who drive across the border to catch discount flights departing from U.S. airports, also introduced a customer bill of rights Tuesday. The new policies will offer consumers compensation vouchers in the event of delayed, cancelled or overbooked flights.

'From the outset, we've been very upfront about how we made a mistake during the past few days.' —Bryan Baldwin, JetBlue spokesman

David Neeleman, the company's founder and CEO, on Tuesday evening appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to explain and apologize for the budget airline's system failure. Neeleman said a Valentine's Day storm that led tothe problemswas worse than staff had anticipated.

Heavy snow and frigid temperatures grounded the company's planes at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. In one instance, passengers were left in a groundedaircraft for more than 10 hours. More than 1,100 JetBlue flights in 11 cities have been cancelled since last Wednesday.

Neeleman admitted it took an extremely long time to get planes and crews back into position. He also vowed to be better prepared next time.

The company plans to run its newspaper ad again on Thursday. Bryan Baldwin, a spokesman for the airline, said the company is well aware of the inconveniences it caused.

"From the outset, we've been very upfront about how we made a mistake during the past few days," Baldwin said early Wednesday morning. "We want to make sure our customers know that."