The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a $2 million penalty to JetBlue for operating flights with chronic delays, marking the first enforcement of its kind. Half of the fine will compensate affected passengers, including those facing future delays caused by JetBlue.
DOT’s investigation found four chronically delayed JetBlue flights operated 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023, violating regulations against unrealistic scheduling.
JetBlue must cease these delays, pay $1 million to the U.S. Treasury, and provide at least $75 in compensation to impacted passengers. The penalty highlights DOT’s broader efforts to protect airline passengers under the Biden administration, including stricter refund rules, disability protections, and penalties for consumer violations.
