USDOT fines JetBlue $2M over persistent flight delay issues

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated: "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," adding that enforcement would protect competition and ensure fair treatment of passengers.

JetBlue acknowledged its efforts in reducing delays through significant investments but pointed out broader issues such as air traffic control staffing contributing to operational challenges in congested areas like the Northeast and Florida. The airline emphasized: "We appreciate how important it is to our customers to arrive at their destinations on-time... we believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the US government."

Despite these efforts, data shows JetBlue ranked near the bottom among major US carriers for on-time performance from January to September 2025.

This penalty aligns with USDOT's initiative to hold airlines accountable for unrealistic schedules. Ongoing investigations into other carriers continue, including Southwest Airlines' settlement in December 2023 after a holiday meltdown resulted in significant passenger disruptions.

The Biden administration has implemented new regulations requiring automatic reimbursement for significant delays as part of a broader crackdown on airline practices.