The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has penalised Frontier Airlines an initial $325,000, with the penalty potentially increasing to $650,000, for chronic flight delays on three routes in 2022 and 2023.
Fined for chronic delays
According to a statement by the DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP), Frontier Airlines held three chronically delayed flights at least 63 times between August 2022 and April 2023, in violation of the US Code (USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
As a result, the OACP ordered Frontier Airlines to stop repeating such infractions and pay a $325,000 punishment. $162,500 must be paid within 60 days of the order’s date, while Frontier Airlines will have to empty its coffers and pay the same amount within 12 months of the initial payment.
If Frontier Airlines continues to repeatedly delay flights within three years or fails to comply with the order’s payment conditions, the whole outstanding sum will become due and payable immediately, and the airline would be required to pay an additional $325,000, totalling $650,000.
The Office warned the corporation that failure to comply with this order could result in future enforcement action. According to the Department’s order notification, the airline elected to conclude the dispute without admitting culpability in order to avoid extra expenses, burden, and distraction from future litigation.
“Frontier emphasizes that in so doing, it is not conceding the DOT’s statement of applicable law or recitation of facts and conclusions.”
Furthermore, the OACP determined that the compromise assessment was appropriate, served the public interest, provided a strong deterrence to future similar unlawful actions by Frontier Airlines and other airlines, and took into account the company’s recent financial results.
Affecting three routes
The OACP noted that it has frequently observed data from the DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and discovered that from April 2022 to August 2022, Frontier Airlines operated a chronically delayed route between St. Thomas Cyril E. King Airport (STT) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Frontier Airlines also promoted two chronically delayed trips between December 1, 2022 and April 30, 2023: from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport (PHX) and from Orlando to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
“The BTS data that OACP used to monitor Frontier’s operations revealed that Frontier was primarily responsible for the three chronically delayed flights. Regardless of the cause of the delay (carrier, weather, national airspace, security), it is a violation to hold out a chronically delayed flight.”
The OACTP further stated that Frontier Airlines made these chronically delayed flights available to the public at least 63 times, violating specific portions of the USC and CFR. By doing so, it failed to address customers’ need for solid information about a flight’s actual arrival time, endangering thousands of passengers, including those who had connecting flights.
“We also note that Frontier had ample opportunity (four months) to act to correct the chronic delays and avoid being subject to civil penalties […] by revising its schedule to prevent a fifth consecutive month of delay.”
In response, Frontier Airlines stated that it takes regulatory compliance very seriously and seeks to operate on schedule. The carrier stated that many of the delayed flights were caused by causes beyond its control, such as weather or National Airspace System (NAS) delays, and that numerous itineraries fell short of the 30-minute ‘on-time’ threshold by a few minutes.
“For example, with respect to Flight 131 from STT to MCO, Frontier explains that numerous unexpected changes in wind direction complicated by unscheduled airport construction during summer 2023 resulted in departures often being changed from runway 28 to runway 10, resulting in significant weight restrictions due to the terrain and obstacles near the departure end of that runway.”
As a result, Frontier Airlines had to make a fuel stop at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), which delayed the flight’s arrival in Orlando. However, according to the carrier, this prohibited passengers from disembarking.
The airline stated that very few passengers complained about delays on any of the flights, and very few travellers linked with further itineraries when they arrived in Phoenix or Houston.
According to data from Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning system, Frontier Airlines will discontinue service from St. Thomas to Orlando in August 2022, but will continue to offer flights from Atlanta to Phoenix and Orlando to Houston until at least August. As of publishing, the airline had not filed schedules for the next month.
“Frontier states that it was proactive in its efforts to resolve the alleged chronic delays for these three flights, as it significantly re-timed or discontinued these flights before receiving the DOT’s inquiries requesting information about the alleged chronic delays of these flights.”
Lawsuits and fines
The DOT penalised JetBlue and sued South-west Airlines for the same reason. On January 3, it declared that the former carrier would be required to pay $2 million, split equally between the US Treasury and the impacted passengers.
According to the Department, JetBlue flew four chronically delayed flights at least 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023, with each flight being delayed for five months in a row, sometimes longer.
On January 15, the DOT filed a lawsuit against South-west Airlines. It claimed that the low-cost carrier operated two chronically delayed flights, causing 180 flight disruptions between April 2022 and August 2022. The dates coincide with Frontier Airlines’ frequently delayed flights between St. Thomas and Orlando.
FAQ
Why did Frontier Airlines receive a fine from the US Department of Transportation?
Frontier Airlines was fined $650,000 by the US Department of Transportation for chronically delayed flights. The fine was imposed due to the airline’s failure to adhere to the regulations regarding the timely operation of flights, leading to significant passenger inconvenience and non-compliance with operational guidelines.
What was the reason for the chronic delays?
The chronic delays were attributed to scheduling issues, maintenance delays, and other operational deficiencies that impacted flight performance and passenger satisfaction.
How does this fine impact Frontier Airlines?
The fine is a significant financial penalty for the airline and serves as a reminder of the importance of complying with transportation regulations to ensure timely and efficient service for passengers.
