The airline says accountability also lies with the U.S. government.
A JetBlue Airbus A321 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
JetBlue is facing a $2 million fine over its operational disruptions. For the first time, the Department of Transportation is penalizing a U.S. carrier for “chronic” flight delays.
The agency announced the fine in a news release on Friday. JetBlue operated “multiple chronically delayed flights,” the release said.
Four frequently delayed flights were noted by the DOT. These flights operated 145 times from June 2022 to November 2023.
According to the agency, the four flights in question were between New York-JFK and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida, along with New York-JFK; and from Fort Lauderdale to Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
DOT estimates that JetBlue was responsible for 70% of the delays on these four flights. Notably, though, the Federal Aviation Administration faced air traffic control staffing constraints in both New York and Florida during the same period.
A JetBlue spokesperson told AirlineGeeks that the carrier believes “accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation’s air traffic control system.”
“JetBlue has invested tens of millions of dollars to reduce flight delays, particularly related to ongoing air traffic control (ATC) challenges in our largest markets in the Northeast and Florida,” the airline said in a statement. “Through these efforts, we have seen significant operational improvements in 2024 including better on-time performance during this year’s peak summer travel season.”
While JetBlue will pay $1 million to the U.S. Treasury, the other half “will be credited to JetBlue for costs … incurred or [that it] will incur for: (1) goodwill compensation already paid to affected passengers during the timeframe covered by this investigation; (2) goodwill compensation payable within one year of the date of this order to passengers who are affected by future controllable cancellations or delays of three hours or more, provided that any vouchers payable to passengers are valued at a minimum of $75,” the agency said in its order.
The carrier will pay the first $500,000 within 60 days of the agency’s order, and the other $500,000 is due within one year.
JetBlue will also have to “cease and desist” its “chronic flight delays.”
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