JetBlue fined $2 million by feds for "chronic flight delays"
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday announced a $2 million fine against JetBlue for "operating multiple chronically delayed flights," marking the first such penalty by the federal agency.
Airlines are prohibited from offering unrealistic schedules that don't reflect actual flight departure and arrival times, yet an investigation by the DOT found that JetBlue operated four chronically delayed flights at least 145 times between June 2022 through November 2023, according to the DOT.
Each flight was chronically delayed for five consecutive months or more. Despite DOT warning JetBlue about inaccurate flight departure and arrival times on its flight between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, the airline continued to operate three more repeatedly delayed flights between Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida and JFK; and between Fort Lauderdale and Windsor Locks, Connecticut, the agency said.
There were 395 delays and cancellations across these four chronically delayed flights in total, and the DOT's investigation found JetBlue responsible for more than 70% of its chronically delayed flights.
JetBlue said it had invested tens of millions of dollars to reduce flight delays over the past two years, and had seen significant improvements in 2024.
"While we've reached a settlement to resolve this matter regarding four flights in 2022 and 2023, we believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation's air traffic control system," a spokesperson said.
Consumers advocates applauded the government's move to penalize JetBlue.
"Airlines often don't allow enough time between flights and they often allow for no margin for error," Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director at U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, said in a statement. "They often treat travelers like seat numbers, not people who have lives and commitments and plans for everything from vacations to weddings or funerals."
What counts as a chronic delay?
The agency has ongoing investigations into other airlines for unrealistic flight schedules that do not reflect actual departure and arrival times. A flight is considered chronically delayed if it is flown at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than 50% of the time, with cancellations included as delays, it stated.
The penalty comes as the Biden administration winds down, leaving uncertain how the incoming Trump regime will tackle transportation issues. Under Biden, transportation regulators have taken a series of actions to safeguard airline passengers, including passing rules that now provide automatic refunds when flights are significantly delayed or canceled.
"Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers. Today's action puts the entire airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "The department will enforce the law against airlines with chronic delays or other unrealistic scheduling practices in order to protect healthy competition in commercial aviation and ensure passengers are treated fairly."
Passengers getting money
JetBlue must pay half the penalty in cash to the U.S. Treasury, with the other $1 million going to compensate JetBlue passengers harmed by the delayed flights or any future disruptions caused by JetBlue within the next year. The future compensation must be a minimum of $75 for each affected passenger.
JetBlue had one of the poorest on-time performances last year among the U.S. airlines, according to a ranking by Cirium. The aviation analytics firm found that less than 75% of JetBlue's flights arrived on schedule, putting the airline behind all the major domestic carriers, including some of its low-cost rivals. Only Frontier Airlines had a worse showing in the U.S., Cirium said in a report published Thursday.
