Consider this story: A traveller named "Carl" is checking in for a jetBlue flight out of JFK, with one piece of luggage. It checks in, it's under the weight and size limit, it should have been checked free.
But when Carl mentioned to the ticket clerk that the box contained a folding bicycle, he was stuck with a $50 charge because jetBlue, like many other airlines, charges extra to pack a bicycle in with luggage. But this bicycle was in the luggage, didn't need to be packed separately and if Carl had flown another airline, there would have been no charge.
Carl paid the fee under protest but later, after fruitlessly calling the airline to complain, he took his case public, via the Twitter, and it went viral.
jetBlue got it, within three days they apologized to Carl, refunded his money and changed their policy.
The airline has joined a growing list of companies that watch social media and use it as a new customer service channel.
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