DOT fines JetBlue $2 million for ‘chronically delayed flights’

[Lauren Taylor]

JET BLUE AIRWAYS FACES A TWO MILLION DOLLAR FINE BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT–

MARKING THE FIRST TIME THE AGENCY HAS HELD A MAJOR AIRLINE ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNREALISTIC SCHEDULING. 

THE PENALTY COMES FROM ROUTES BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023 THAT WERE CONSISTENTLY DELAYED BY THE AIRLINE. 

THE DEPARTMENT CALLS A FLIGHT “CHRONICALLY DELAYED” IF ITS MORE THAN 30 MINUTES LATE OVER HALF THE TIME AND RUNS LATE AT LEAST TEN TIMES A MONTH

JETBLUE WAS WARNED ABOUT FOUR OF THEIR FLIGHTS ON THE EAST COAST AS THE AGENCY WORKS TO IMPLEMENT BETTER SERVICE FOR TRAVELERS. 

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAYS, “Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers. Today’s action puts the entire airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality”

FLIGHTS BETWEEN NEW YORK’S JFK AIRPORT AND RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA HAVE BEEN HIT WITH FREQUENT DELAYS. 

INCLUDING ROUTES FROM NEW YORK TO FORT LAUDERDALE AND ORLANDO FLORIDA. 

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO CALLED THE FLIGHT BETWEEN FORT LAUDERDALE AND CONNECTICUT INTO QUESTION 

DATA SUBMITTED BY JETBLUE SHOWS THE AIRLINE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 70 PERCENT OF THE DELAYS. THE FEDERAL AGENCY SAYS THAT LED TO 395 DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS FOR PASSENGERS. 

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT’S RULES…AIRLINES CAN’T SET SCHEDULES THAT DON’T REFLECT TRUE DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL TIMES. 

HOWEVER JETBLUE CLAIMS THE GOVERNMENT IS AT FAULT FOR ITS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. 

A SPOKESPERSON SAYS UNDERSTAFFING OF CONTROLLERS AND OLD TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PRIORITIZE. 

A SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE AIRLINE HAS USED “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.”

HALF OF THE TWO MILLION WILL GO TO PASSENGERS ON THOSE FLIGHTS WHO EXPERIENCED DELAYS. 

THE OTHER PORTION GOES TO THE U-S TREASURY. 

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR