The US Department Of Transportation
(USDOT) has imposed a $2 million penalty on JetBlue Airways
for operating multiple chronically delayed flights between 2022 and 2023, the agency said in a statement. This is the first time the federal agency has fined an airline for unrealistic scheduling practices that result in persistent delays, a violation that disrupts passengers and undermines fair competition within the airline industry.
JetBlue
will pay $1 million to travelers impacted by these ongoing delays as part of the settlement. The US Treasury will receive the remaining $1 million. In addition, JetBlue has committed to providing travelers who encounter three-hour or longer delays on subsequent flights during the following year with travel vouchers worth at least $75.
Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock
DOT: Chronic flight delays make flying unreliable
The four affected flight routes include services from New York JFK Airport
to Raleigh–Durham International Airport
, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
, Orlando, and Windsor Locks, Connecticut. According to Reuters, DOT
revealed that the four chronically delayed flights—defined as US flights that are canceled or arrive more than 30 minutes late more than 50% of the time over a month—had a total of 395 delays and cancelations. The agency said JetBlue was to blame for more than 70% of the delays, which were considered chronic since they occurred consistently over a number of months.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in the statement:
“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,” he said. “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.”
Photo: Ritu Manoj Jethani | Shutterstock
JetBlue criticized ATC delays
JetBlue emphasized in a statement that it strives to reduce delays by investing tens of millions of dollars and recognizes the value of on-time performance, according to USA TODAY. It did, however, also highlight more general structural problems, including with air traffic control staffing, which the airline says have contributed significantly to operational difficulties, especially in the crowded Northeast and Florida sectors.
“We appreciate how important it is to our customers to arrive to their destinations on-time and work very hard to operate our flights as scheduled,” JetBlue said. “While we’ve reached a settlement to resolve this matter regarding four flights in 2022 and 2023, we believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the US government, which operates our nation’s air traffic control system. We believe the US should have the safest, most efficient, and advanced air traffic control system in the world, and we urge the incoming administration to prioritize modernizing outdated ATC technology and addressing chronic air traffic controller staffing shortages to reduce ATC delays that affect millions of air travelers each year.”
Related
Proposed DOT Rule Could Require Airlines To Pay Passengers Up To $775 For Flight Delays
A decision will not be made until 2025.
Despite these efforts, the airline has consistently ranked near the bottom for on-time performance among major US carriers. From January to September 2025, JetBlue’s on-time performance was 71%, ranking it second-to-last among the top 10 US domestic airlines, data from the Transportation Department shows.
A broader industry trend
The penalty against JetBlue is part of the US Department of Transportation’s broader push to hold airlines accountable for unrealistic flight schedules. According to USDOT, airlines must avoid chronically delayed flights by adjusting schedules or ensuring that operational issues are adequately addressed.
Photo: Michael Gordon | Shutterstock
The department has ongoing investigations into other carriers, including 
Southwest Airlines
, which reached a similar settlement in December 2023. Southwest agreed to provide $90 million in travel vouchers for passengers impacted by delays or cancelations during its December 2022 holiday meltdown, further emphasizing the growing scrutiny on airline practices related to punctuality and passenger care.
The enforcement action is part of the Biden administration’s larger crackdown on airline practices. In an effort to strengthen passenger safeguards, the Transportation Department has implemented new regulations to automatically reimburse passengers for significant delays.
Related
JetBlue CEO Calls For ATC And Outdated Tech Overhaul As Trump Prepares To Take Office
A new GAO audit reveals the FAA’s aging and slow-to-modernize air traffic control systems, with many critical systems at risk of failure.
DOT provides clarification on the timing and method of processing these reimbursements in the regulation that was announced in October 2024. According to the most recent regulations, an airline must automatically provide refunds without passengers’ specific requests.
