JetBlue is challenging Long Beach Airport over flight delays, contending it should not have to pay fines due to air traffic delays originating from other parts of the country.
The airline was hit with $1.2 million in penalties in 2017 by the city of Long Beach over curfew violations relating to landing or departing flights between 10 pm and 7 am.
That is more than double fines imposed the previous year.
Long Beach introduced a flight curfew under a 1995 noise control law.
JetBlue calls the law ‘erroneous and unjustified’ as it claims it should not be penalized for air traffic control delays which originate at departure airports around the country.
JetBlue is challenging numerous penalties issued between April 1 and Nov. 30 that add up to $264,000.
"It is impossible to separate Long Beach Airport operations from the rest of the national airspace system as they operate as part of a common network, administered by the FAA," Rob Land, JetBlue’s vice president of government relations wrote in a letter addressed to Long beach city manager and the airport director Jess Romo.
So far JetBlue has been unsuccessful in appealing the ruling but the issue will be discussed by the Long Beach City Council on March 13.
If that also proves futile JetBlue will likely take up the issue with the FAA or could start legal action.
JetBlue is the major carrier at Long Beach and the airport is one of its ‘focus cities.’
