The "Make it Happen" Challenge.

Once more straight from the top. "Make it Happen", the crowd-sourcing challenge to see if my big ideas can come to fruition thanks to the rich community of creatives, writers, artists, designers, inventors, scientists, architects, pharmacologists, techies, provocateurs, ethicists, military contractors, etc.

MIH Brief 014

OBJECTIVE:

Chart a course of action for Jet Blue in the wake of the Stephen Slater affair. This can be a business proposal or a PR/marketing solution.

Check this out for more background, but to surmise Jet Blue flight attendant Stephen Slater has become the talk and toast of the town following his meltdown on a Jet Blue flight from Pittsburgh to New York.

We've certainly come along way since the dapper Captain Chesley Sullenberger. Back then our aviation heroes pulled out all the stops in the interests of the passenger. "Sully" cut the archetypal image of what a classic hero should be. Cool, calm and selfless. He was literally the last man off the plane.

Today's hero, not so much. It's a tubby gay guy who makes a profane laden premature exit with a can of beer. Classy! Yet Slater seems to have struck a cord with frustrated employees everywhere by jumping ship with a giant fuck you. Not so much a Howard Beale of the airwaves, rather a Howard Beale of the air.

But his popularity leaves Jet Blue with a dilemma. A company based on the service mantra that the customer is always right certainly can't allow one of its employee's, no matter how provoked, to lash out in such an unprofessional way, let alone slide out on the job.

On the other hand, part of Jet Blue's appeal is that it is the little upstart flying in the face of the cultural status quo. Slater is the embodiment of that, albeit a potty-mouthed, beer swilling version.

So what should Jet Blue do? How can it turn this bit of pr turbulence into a smooth landing?

THOUGHT STARTERS:
  -  What immediate lessons from the incident can be implemented on all Jet Blue flights? For example, in the safety talk before take-off Jet Blue flight attendants must point to the exits which they plan to escape from. Also, in the "unlikely event of a flight attendant escaping", passengers must be given instructions as to what to do, like which panic positions to assume.
  -  Let's be fearless. How about we make Steven Slater the face of a new Jet Blue campaign targeting terrorists? Try hijacking a Jet Blue plane and you'll have more than the Air Marshall's to worry about. Our bitchy flight attendants will meet jihad with a can of beer and a fuck you. Motherfuckers.

  -  Is there an opportunity for Jet Blue to turn this ugly incident into an act of good will? Perhaps every passenger on board Flight 1052 should be given a free can of beer, one minute to mouth off on the PA system and the chance to slide down an emergency shoot. Be "Steven Slater" for a day will not only allow everyone on board to have some fun at Jet Blue's expense, but it may also give them to welcome  a taste of what it feels like to have a "mad as hell and not going to take it moment". (There may be a lesson here for other companies!)
  -  Is there an opportunity for Jet Blue to make some structural changes to their planes to best deal with  these kinds of incidents in the future? For instance, how about separating the cabin sections into "Class" and "No Class". In "No Class" you can insult the flight attendants all you want. Of course, they also are allowed to insult you back.
  -  How can Jet Blue turn this into a financial boon? Perhaps it can create and offer "The Escape Clause". For an extra fee a passenger can jump off a Jet Blue flight. This is ONLY valid when the plane is on the ground, of course. As soon as the flight is airborne, the clause is rendered null and void.
  -  Is there an opportunity to incorporate this incident into Jet Blue's fabulous frequent flier miles programs? For instance, how about passengers who earn a certain number of miles, say one hundred thousand, get rewarded with a a free can of beer, one minute to mouth off on the PA system and the chance to slide down an emergency shoot.
  -  Should Jet Blue take a very hard line stand against such behavior in the interest of corporate responsibility and customer service? Perhaps they ought to issue a solemn promise that if any Jet Blue employee tries to walk or slide off the job in the future they will be shot by an Air Marshall. Much like an army in battle, desertion will not be tolerated.  
 

MANDATORIES:

  -  There are no mandatories for this challenge. Everything is up in the air.

Good luck and make it happen, people!