The Department of Transportation has fined JetBlue Airways $2 million for operating four chronically delayed domestic flights. It is the first time such a fine has been imposed on an airline for prohibited scheduling practices.
The USDOT said Friday that as part of a consent agreement with the airline, JetBlue will pay a $1 million fine, with the remainder going to compensate customers affected by chronic delays and disruptions over the next year. Announced.
As part of the settlement, JetBlue agreed to provide passengers with a voucher worth at least $75 if the airline cancels or delays a flight for more than three hours within the next year.
“Today's action recognizes that the airline industry expects flight schedules to reflect reality,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
JetBlue did not admit liability, but said in a statement that it appreciates “how important it is to our customers to arrive at their destinations on time and work hard to keep our flights on schedule.” .
It criticized the USDOT for continuing to lack adequate air traffic control personnel.
“We believe that accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation's air traffic control systems,” the airline said in a statement.
USDOT says JetBlue chronically delayed flights between New York and Raleigh-Durham, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, as well as between Fort Lauderdale and Windsor Locks, Conn., at various points in 2022 and 2023. announced that it had operated.
USDOT said, “Regardless of the cause of a particular flight's delay (airline, weather, airspace, security), JetBlue had ample time to act to avoid chronic delays.” .
The airline said it has spent tens of millions of dollars to address air traffic control issues, particularly in the Northeast Corridor, to the extent reasonably possible to prevent chronic delays.
According to the USDOT, four chronically delayed flights account for a total of 395 delays and cancellations, meaning that more than 50% of the months in a month, U.S. flights are canceled or delayed by more than 30 minutes. means to arrive.
The department estimates JetBlue is responsible for more than 70% of the disruptions on the four chronically delayed flights.
Last month, the USDOT requested comment on whether to require airlines to provide cash compensation for long delays and cancellations.
In December 2023, Southwest Airlines announced that as part of the airline's December 2022 holiday USDOT settlement, passengers whose arrival at their final destination was delayed by at least three hours due to issues or cancellations by the airline would receive $75. They agreed to provide more than $90 million in travel vouchers. Meltdown.
