JetBlue Fined $2 Million Due to Chronic Flight Delays

JetBlue Airways Corp. has been fined $2 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The airline was penalized for consistently delaying some flights and setting unrealistic schedules. This marked the department's first enforcement action of its kind.

The fine was issued during the final days of the Biden administration, which has taken a tough stance on consumer protection issues concerning airlines. The administration's efforts include regulations mandating automatic refunds for significant flight delays or cancellations, rules aimed at protecting wheelchair users, and other enforcement actions addressing civil rights violations.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized chronic flight delays as a significant inconvenience for passengers in a press statement on Friday. The action taken against JetBlue demonstrates the department's expectation for realistic flight schedules from the industry.

According to the Department of Transportation, promising schedules that do not accurately reflect actual departure and arrival times is considered an unfair and deceptive business practice. This is because airlines can mislead customers, which allows them to attract more business. Under U.S. regulations, a "chronically delayed flight" is defined as a flight that is flown at least 10 times per month and arrives more than 30 minutes late over 50% of the time.

The U.S. government found that JetBlue operated at least four such flights a minimum of 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023, affecting thousands of passengers. This included a route between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates that the airline is responsible for over 70% of the disruptions.

In a statement on Friday, JetBlue noted that it has invested millions of dollars over the past two years to minimize flight delays, especially related to air traffic control. The company acknowledged reaching a settlement with the department regarding the four flights in question but argued that the responsibility for reliable air travel should also be shared with the U.S. government, which operates the nation's air traffic control system.