JetBlue Airways has been fined $2 million for operating ‘chronically’ delayed flights.
The Transportation Department said it was the first time it has fined an airline for delays, which they blamed on “unrealistic planning” by JetBlue.
Officials were forced to act like the budget airline that subjected passengers to repeated delays, ruining vacations, family visits and business trips.
The agency defines a flight as chronically delayed if it operates at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than half of the time.
Half of the money raised will go to affected passengers. The fine affects flights on four East Coast routes in 2022 and 2023 and JetBlue says it has been improved
But delays and cancellations are still common.
Only three in five JetBlue flights arrive on time, an October report found — the worst of any U.S. airline.
Delays and cancellations have hit travelers hard. End of December fAngry Jet Blue customers were thrown out onto the street ‘like animals’ after a canceled flight.
Those scheduled to fly back to Boston from the Caribbean on December 28 described their experience as a “nightmare.”
It was a scene of chaos after a flight to Boston from the Turks and Caicos Islands was canceled
Some children were forced to sleep on the floor, with no help from the airport or airline
“Putting people out on the street like animals was definitely something I will never forget for the rest of my life,” said Marty, father of three, as he recounted the harrowing night to Boston25News.
Regarding the fines imposed Friday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said: “Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers. Today’s action makes the entire aviation sector aware that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality.”
His department has led the Biden administration in criticizing airlines for poor service and increasing fees for travelers.
JetBlue said the government, which runs the air traffic control system, shares the blame for late flights.
Airline spokesman Derek Dombrowski said JetBlue has invested “tens of millions of dollars to reduce flight delays, particularly related to ongoing air traffic control challenges in our largest markets in the Northeast and Florida,” resulting in improved on-time performance in 2024, also during the peak summer travel season.
“While we have reached a settlement to resolve this matter regarding four (routes) in 2022 and 2023, we believe that the responsibility for reliable air travel rests equally with the U.S. government, which controls our nation’s air traffic control system manages,” Dombrowski said. .
He said the new Trump administration should prioritize modernizing “outdated” air traffic control technology and addressing the understaffing of air traffic controllers hired by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Transportation Department regulations prohibit airlines from publishing schedules that do not reflect actual departure and arrival times.
The department cited JetBlue flights between June 2022 and November 2023.
It said it was warning JetBlue of frequent flight delays between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
There were also frequent delays on flights between JFK and Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida, and between Windsor Locks, Connecticut and Fort Lauderdale.
In December, Jet Blue said it was cutting dozens of routes through 2025, throwing travel plans into chaos.
And multiple reports indicate that JetBlue is the worst or among the worst for delays and cancellations.
JetBlue is most likely to delay holiday flights, according to an October survey by officials.
According to the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, only 60.75 percent of JetBlue flights arrive on time. The number was calculated based on reports from 66 airports across the country.
Incredibly, JetBlue is also among the ten worst airlines for canceling flights, according to another report from November.
Meanwhile, JetBlue was hit with accusations of anti-Semitism in June after “calling the police” on a Jewish passenger and accusing him of “causing a nuisance” for complaining about the flight attendant’s Palestinian flag pin.
Paul Faust, 54, said he quietly complained about the pin to a supervisor on the plane — but when he landed, a uniformed official demanded to see his ID, claimed he was causing a commotion, called the police — and canceled then his return flight.
Faust, who is Jewish, accused the airline of “blatant anti-Semitism” following the incident.
A JetBlue spokesperson said they are investigating what happened.
JetBlue also came under fire last spring when it introduced dynamic pricing for checked bag fees — the first major U.S. airline to do so.
A passenger traveling on a standard domestic ticket during an ‘off-peak period’ and paying for one piece of baggage more than 24 hours before the flight will pay $35 under the new rules.
During a “peak period” — for example, when families go on summer vacation or Thanksgiving — they must pay $50 to check one suitcase at the airport.