In a statement, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg described these fines as a first step in holding airlines accountable for the accuracy of their schedules. "Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers," Buttigieg said. "Today's action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality."
The Department of Transportation defines chronically delayed flights as those that are "flown at least 10 times a month and [arrive] more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time." The agency pointed to four routes specifically during a period beginning in June 2022 and ending in November 2023.
According to the Department of Transportation, the agency notified JetBlue about these delays. They also calculated that JetBlue "was responsible for over 70 percent of the disruptions" and did not take the necessary steps to address its flight scheduling issues.
In comments shared with the Associated Press, JetBlue spokesperson Derek Dombrowski stated that the airline had invested millions of dollars in system upgrades, resulting in better results for 2024. "[W]e believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation's air traffic control system," Dombrowski said.
#jetblue #flight-delays #department-of-transportation #airline-accountability #us-transportation-policy
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