David Koenig | The Associated Press

JetBlue is getting hit with a $2 million penalty for chronically late flights. The Transportation Department said Friday that half the money will go to passengers who were delayed on flights along four routes on the East Coast between summer 2022 and late 2023.

JetBlue was able to drive out rival bidder Frontier Airlines after a bidding war this year. Even with Spirit shareholders accepting the buyout, the deal could face a big challenge from federal antitrust regulators. Spirit, the country's biggest budget airline, is based in Miramar, in Broward.

The airline said it invested $15 million in a startup manufacturer, and signed a “conditional” agreement to buy 200 of the tiny aircraft with options for 200 more.