Department of Transportation denounces ‘unrealistic’ JetBlue schedules in yet another setback for the airline

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Friday a $2m fine against JetBlue for “operating multiple chronically delayed flights”. The agency said it was the first time it had fined an airline for chronic delays on specific routes, which it said was caused by “unrealistic” scheduling practices by JetBlue.

“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,” the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said in a statement.