09:38 AM EST, 01/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- JetBlue ( JBLU ) has received a $2 million penalty from the US Department of Transportation for operating multiple chronically delayed flights, the agency said on Friday.

"Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "Today's action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality."

The penalty marks the first time a federal agency has fined an airline for chronic delays, which are defined as a flight departing at least ten times a month and arriving more than 30 minutes late more than 50% of the time. Cancellations are considered delays in this calculation, according to the department, and half of the fine will be used to compensate affected passengers.

JetBlue ( JBLU ) did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning from MT Newswires.

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