The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has levied a $2 million penalty on JetBlue for operating multiple chronically delayed flights. This is the first time the DOT has fined an airline for chronic flight delays which it describes as “a prohibited unrealistic scheduling practice which can harm both passengers and fair competition across the airline industry”.
According to the press release from the DOT, half of the penalty will go to compensate JetBlue customers affected by the airline’s chronic delays or any future disruptions caused by JetBlue within the next year. The DOT also indicated that it has more ongoing investigations into other airlines for unrealistic flight schedules.
In announcing the penalty, U.S. Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg had this to say:
“Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers. Today’s action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality. The department will enforce the law against airlines with chronic delays or unrealistic scheduling practices in order to protect healthy competition and ensure passengers are treated fairly.”
If you’re wondering why the Department of Transportation fined the airline over delayed flights, DOT rules prohibit airlines from promising unrealistic schedules that do not reflect actual flight departure and arrival times. Under DOT rules, a flight is chronically delayed if it is flown at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time. Cancellations are included as delays within this calculation.
JetBlue operates the majority of its flights in the congested northeast portion of the United States which certainly plays a factor in its delay percentage. However, the DOT was looking at individual routes and the accompanying schedule. The DOT identified four flights that were delayed at least 145 times between June 2022 through November 2023. Each flight was chronically delayed for five straight months in a row, or more.
Three of the four flights were routes to/from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The routes in question are:
- New York-JFK and Raleigh Durham, NC (RDU)
- New York-JFK and Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
- New York-JFK and Windsor Locks, CT (BDL)
- Orlando, FL (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
I mentioned yesterday that Delta the most on-time airline in the United States for 2024 and hinted that it could be related to how it pads its flight schedules. if JetBlue had done something similar, it likely could have avoided at least some of these delays.
The order by the DOT requires JetBlue to pay a $2 million penalty and cease with its chronic flight delays, so expect to see some changes in the airline’s schedule. The airline must pay half of the penalty to the U.S. Treasury with the other half going to compensate harmed by either the chronically delayed flights or any future flight cancellations or delays of three hours or more caused by JetBlue within the next year. The future compensation must be valued at a minimum of $75 for each harmed passenger. If you’re interested in reading the full report, it can be found here.
The penalty comes as JetBlue is looking to reinvent itself and has been slashing routes and deferring aircraft deliveries at it looks to return to profitability. The carrier’s on time performance has been improving and, since they’re one of the airlines I’ve yet to fly, I’m looking to hop on board in 2025.
Summary
JetBlue has been penalized $2 million by the Department of Transportation related to chronic flight delays between June 2022 through November 2023. Half of the penalty will go to the U.S. Treasury while the other half will go towards compensation for passengers on future delayed JetBlue flights.
(images courtesy JetBlue)
