DOT Rejects Request by JetBlue, Spirit to Nix a Number of Flights

The U.S. Department of Transportation, citing the parameters of the CARES Act, has denied a request from JetBlue and Spirit airlines to suspend service to some cities.

The CARES Act – the $2.2 trillion stimulus package that was signed into law by President Trump and included $50 billion for airlines – required carriers to continue with a minimum amount of service to all of its U.S. destinations in either their winter or summer schedule, although they can reduce the number of flights they operate to once weekly.

The DOT denied JetBlue’s request to waive flights to 12 destinations and Spirit’s request to waive flights to 26 airports. All airlines are looking to make further cuts to help defray expenses since low travel demand has practically crippled the industry. Some flights by airlines have included less than 10 passengers.

As recently as April 15, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened just 90,784 people, or less than 4 percent of the number it screened on the same date a year ago.

JetBlue and Spirit were looking for relief from such cities as Albuquerque, Bozeman, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Palm Springs, among others.

The DOT only granted service suspensions for two airports: Aguadilla (BQN) and Ponce (PSE) in Puerto Rico. Both have been closed by the Federal Aviation Administration and governor of Puerto Rico.

To help combat the loss of passengers, some airlines are consolidating routes and adding smaller cities and airports to stops en route to its hubs.