US company fined $2 million for chronic flight delays

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

Heba Press – MA

The US Department of Transportation has fined US airline JetBlue Airways $2 million due to “chronic flight delays”, CNN reported on Friday.

The ministry explained that the company operated four flights that experienced chronic delays at least 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023, with the delay continuing for at least five consecutive months for each flight.

The Department of Transportation said $1 million of the fine would be allocated to compensate the company’s customers affected by delays or disruptions over the next year, while the remaining amount would be transferred directly to the US Treasury.

In an official statement, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed that the department “will take strong action against airlines that cause chronic delays or adopt unrealistic scheduling practices, to ensure fair treatment for airlines.” travelers and to protect fair competition in the commercial aviation sector. »

This is the first time that the ministry has imposed a penalty on an airline for chronic delays.

For its part, JetBlue responded through an official spokesperson, emphasizing that “While we have reached an agreement to resolve this issue related to four flights in 2022 and 2023, we affirm that the reliability of transportation Air traffic is a shared responsibility that also includes the U.S. government, which manages the air traffic control system.

The company’s shares fell 1.7 percent on Friday following the announcement of the sanction.