Recently, I sat down with David Neeleman, JetBlue's CEO, to hear about the aftereffects of its high-profile meltdown in February and his strategy for leading through crisis. Before the piece [2] hit the presses, we sent an advance copy to members of our reader panel and asked how they thought he did.

We ran a few of the comments alongside the article. But my editor and I read them all. I encourage you do to the same (here's the link [3]). They offer a revealing look at how customers respond to missteps and apologies, particularly by a company [4] known for providing smart, attentive service prior to the fiasco.

FC readers responded with a mix of skepticism:
"He is just doing his job."
"There was obviously a failure of imagination."

And disappointment:
"I don't think he took enough personal blame."

But also realism:
"Anyone who will not forgive Jetblue doesn't fly very much."

And admiration:
"David Neeleman certainly did the right thing for taking responsibility for the problems. Refreshing to see a CEO do that."

As well as apprehension:
"He's raised customer expectations even higher."

Hopefully other recent stumblers -- for starters, Taco Bell and Menu Foods, the company at the center of the pet food recall -- are paying attention.

To join the Fast Company Connection Reader Panel, click here [5].