I'm finally back from my business trip/family vacation to Orlando, Florida, just in time to turn around and fly out again tomorrow morning for a business meeting in Chicago. While I should be opening 10 days worth of mail and discarding the sour milk left in the fridge, I just had to blog about my new favorite airline: Jet Blue. When Delta's Song folded, I lamented the loss of the low-fare option to Palm Beach Florida where my parents live. This past week we flew Jet Blue for the first time and I have to say: the family has found a new airline.

Last weekend, torrential rains wreaked havoc on the planes going in and out of Logan airport. As we faced hours of delays, my husband and I struggled to keep the boys from coming unglued. The airport was painfully crowded and we were cranky, not to mention tired from getting up at the crack of dawn in order to make it to the airport "on time."

As we were about to pull from our backpacks the toys reserved exclusively for what I'll call the "in-flight entertainment portion of our trip," the gate agent with Jet Blue came bouncing over to our corner on the floor with two brightly colored toy balls. "Would your boys like to play ball?" she asked. "I have an area set up behind the desk they can run around and be out of the way," she kindly explained.

We were more than stunned, we were completely confused! Was this woman actually trying to help us? Was she inviting our children to act like children without fear of icy glares and daggers from other travelers' eyes? "When they are done with the balls let me know," she said. "I've got some crayons and coloring sheets, too." Then this angel sent to rescue us from the depths of airport hell turned and did something else I have never seen in all my years of travel: She set up a table and filled it with snacks and icy cold drinks.

Now, I realize I am starting to sound like one of those funny Jet Blue commercials - "My passenger asked for ice, so I gave her some" - But really, that's how this airline is! Once we got off on our way to Florida, the courtesies continued. The First Officer came out from the flight deck to introduce himself and welcome us on board. You know, there's something comforting about seeing the man who you've entrusted with your family's life. He even offered to pose for pictures in the cock pit with the children (when we landed, of course).

But here's the most amazing part: We were delayed for approximately 3 hours on our departure, totally due to weather. A few days ago we received an apology email, saying they would provide a $50 voucher for each ticket due to the inconvenience (they also gave us free inflight movies on the actual flight). This seems so basic, doesn't it? It seems like what Jet Blue did for us and all of its customers was what any airline would do. But they don't!

Two years ago when I was pregnant with my second child, my husband, 2-year-old son and I were delayed on the tarmac departing Turks & Caicos. For several hours we remained sweltering on board an American Airlines jet waiting to go to Boston. I had not a single diaper left in the diaper bag. They gave us not a drop of water or a single peanut while they served steaks to passengers in first class.That flight taught me a hard lesson about traveling with children and the need to always be prepared for the worst.

Jet Blue proved this week that sometimes, a business actually can and does live up to its promises!