US Hits JetBlue With $2 Million Penalty Over Chronic Flight Delays

The U.S. Transportation Department imposed a $2 million penalty on JetBlue Airways for operating four chronically delayed flights on domestic routes - the first time it has imposed such a fine on an airline for the prohibited scheduling practice.

USDOT said on Friday that as part of a consent agreement with the airline, JetBlue will pay a $1 million fine and the remainder will go to compensate customers affected by its chronic delays or any future disruptions within the next year.

As part of the settlement, JetBlue has agreed to provide vouchers worth a minimum of $75 for passengers for future flight cancellations or delays of three hours or more caused by the airline within the next year.

"Today's action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

JetBlue, which did not admit liability, said in a statement it appreciates "how important it is to our customers to arrive to their destinations on-time and work very hard to operate our flights as scheduled."

It criticized USDOT for a persistent lack of adequate air traffic control staffing. "We believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation’s air traffic control system," the airline said.

USDOT said at various points in 2022 and 2023 JetBlue operated chronically delayed flights between New York and Raleigh-Durham, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando along with a flight between Fort Lauderdale and Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

"Regardless of the cause of the delay (carrier, weather, national airspace, security) for any specific flight, JetBlue had adequate time to act to avoid the chronic delays," USDOT said.

The airline said it spent tens of millions of dollars to address issues with air traffic control especially in the U.S. Northeast corridor to as much as reasonably possible prevent any chronic delays and made significant improvements last year in cutting travel disruptions.

https://www.reuters.com/authors/david-shepardson/

Travelore Tips: New Travel Requirements Taking Effect In 2025 For Domestic And International Destinations

Whether your New Year's resolution is to finally book a dream vacation or put some points to good use and fly to a new destination, there are some travel requirements taking effect in 2025 that everyone should keep in mind.

New travel changes in 2025: How to get prepared and why it matters

REAL ID

Americans should make sure their identification is up to date sooner than later this winter, because starting May 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will enforce the use of REAL ID at airports and some federal facilities.

U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant in order to board domestic flights.

Entering the UK with ETA

The expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) program will impact U.S. and European travelers headed to the United Kingdom.

Starting Jan. 8, 2025, ETA registration will be required by inbound travelers so that UK authorities can screen visitors before arrival, which was modeled after the U.S.' Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system in an effort to reduce potential security risks and make border entry more efficient.

The ETA, which costs approximately $13, is not a visa and does not replace any existing visa requirements.

Americans traveling to the U.K. on or after Jan. 8 can apply through the UK government's official website here or use the ETA app.

The ETA is valid for multiple entries into the UK through a two-year period.

ETIAS entry and exit requirements

Though not yet operational, the European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which has been postponed multiple times, is expected to take effect in May 2025.

U.S. passport holders who previously traveled to Europe without a visa will now need to apply for authorization through the ETIAS platform before visiting

Once granted ETIAS travel authorization, travelers will be able to enter participating countries multiple times for short-term stays -- usually up to 90 days -- over a 180-day period. The ETIAS is valid for up to three years, but if your passport expires, a new ETIAS travel authorization will be required.

New protections for air travelers

Earlier this year, new federal regulations took effect that require airlines to make it easier for ticketed passengers to get their money back after flight cancellations or other significant changes.

Under the new Department of Transportation rules, travelers can easily receive automatic refunds if they opt not to take a rebooked flight, significant delays are clearly defined across all airlines, and travelers are eligible for refunds on bag fees if a bag is delayed for over 12 hours (or 15-30 hours for international flights), refunds on ancillary paid services that don't work such as WiFi, and 24/7 live customer service support channels.

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/author/Kelly_McCarthy

American Airlines Just Added A New Weekly Flight To Saint Lucia

Centuries-old cacao farms. Stunning hiking trails. Drive-through volcanoes. World-class rum. Maybe you know the Pitons or the three-walled hotels, but Saint Lucia is so much more than that — it’s a deep, layered destination that begs to be explored.

And Saint Lucia just got a major new route from American Airlines, which is now flying once each week from New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturdays.

The new route, which kicked off earlier this month, is running on American’s Boeing 737 aircraft.

In February you can book the route for about $361 roundtrip in economy, according to AA.com.

https://www.caribjournal.com/author/caitlinsullivan/

American Airlines Cuts Some International Flights From Major U.S. Airports In 2025

American Airlines has cut some international flights from major US airports next year and delayed others, blaming Boeing for the hold up.

A number of new long-haul routes can’t go ahead yet because Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner jets are delayed, The Points Guy first reported.

“As a result of ongoing Boeing 787 delivery delays, American is adjusting service on certain routes in spring 2025 to ensure we are able to re-accommodate customers on affected flights,” the airline said in a statement.

“We’ll be proactively reaching out to our impacted customers to offer alternate travel arrangements and remain committed to mitigating the impact of these Boeing delays while continuing to offer a comprehensive global network.”

American Airlines is awaiting delivery of 25 of the 787 Dreamline jets, according to Boeing orders and delivery figures.

American Airlines services between Miami International Airport and Ministro Pistarini International Airport, near Buenos Aires, are being cut from three daily to two.

Flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Paris Charles De Gaulle have been on hold since September and won’t be restarting until May. They were scheduled to resume in April.

At Miami, flights to the Parisian airport will be temporarily suspended in May.

The airline stressed that routes to the destinations would not be canceled due to Boeing delays, but the flights would be starting later than planned.

By Rhian Lubin