A man cost JetBlue over $2,000 and a delay after sneaking onto a parked aircraft. Samuel Prescott Lackey added to JetBlue’s flight disruptions, found onboard at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The disruption comes at a troubling time for JetBlue, as the airline has cancelled the most flights among all airlines worldwide on several of the recent travel days. JetBlue pilots have blamed the issues beyond weather, citing internal scheduling issues.
Captain Wayne Scales, chairman of the JetBlue Master Executive Council and a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, said the airline’s reaction to severe weather has been unacceptable.
“JetBlue’s Crew Scheduling department was effectively unreachable, with pilots experiencing hours-long hold times. Many pilots and crews were left stranded at the airport as the company failed to even provide overnight accommodations. Customers need to be able to book having confidence in a reliable operation,” said Scales.
Despite the message, JetBlue has continued to cancel flights this week. Additionally, the airline has commented on the recent incident involving a man out on parole sneaking onto one of its parked aircraft.
A Fort Lauderdale Man Is Facing Felony Charges For Sneaking On A JetBlue Flight
JetBlue plane waiting to take off from Miami International AirportCredit: Shutterstock
Samuel Prescott Lackey, 32, is facing felony charges after jumping a barbed wire fence at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and sneaking onto a parked JetBlue aircraft. Investigators said the plane door was left open, while JetBlue employees found Lackey at 5 a.m. on Sunday, sleeping during a routine interior inspection.
Lackey’s bond was set at $10,000 as he faces charges of burglary of an occupied conveyance, interrupting or impairing critical infrastructure, and criminal mischief.
The Broward County Aviation Department issued a statement regarding the incident.
“Based on preliminary findings, an individual scaled an eight-foot fence topped with barbed wire along the perimeter of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to gain access to a private hangar and a JetBlue Airways aircraft, which was parked overnight for maintenance.”
The case is ongoing, conducted by both the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Along with the Broward County Aviation Department, JetBlue has also issued a statement over the incident.
How JetBlue Reacted To The Incident
JetBlue Airways Airbus A321 N943JT departure from 25R at Los Angeles International Airport
Credit: Shutterstock
JetBlue issued a brief statement regarding the matter. The carrier stated that the safety of its crew and customers remains the top priority. At this time, the airline is assisting law enforcement with the ongoing investigation.
“The safety of our customers and crewmembers is JetBlue’s first priority. We will assist law enforcement with any relevant investigation,” the carrier said in a statement.
The incident reportedly cost JetBlue $2,400, according to court documents, due to the delays it caused. Unrelated to the Samuel Prescott Lackey incident, JetBlue is currently facing other disruptions due to severe weather in the Northeast.
JetBlue Is Currently Facing The Most Cancellations Among All Airlines Worldwide
View of the JetBlue Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International AirportCredit: Shutterstock
This week, JetBlue has faced a fresh set of delays and cancellations. On Thursday, according to FlightAware data, the carrier had 82 cancelled flights, along with 530 delays, almost half of its entire capacity.
JetBlue’s Thursday disruptions have carried over into Friday, as the airline currently has the most cancelled flights of all carriers worldwide.
U.S. Airlines With The Most Cancelled Flights On August 7
Rank
Airline
Cancellations
1
JetBlue
129
2
Delta Air Lines
93
3
PSA Airlines
81
4
Endeavor Air
79
5
Republic
62
In response to the flight disruptions, JetBlue is offering its customers a Northeast summer weather fee waiver. The offer is valid for August 7 flights, and includes nine of its major hubs.
JetBlue’s Flexible Rebooking On August 7: Included Cities
Baltimore, MD (BWI)
Boston, MA (BOS)
Long Island/Islip, NY (ISP)
New York, NY (JFK)
New York, NY (LGA)
Newark, NJ (EWR)
Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Washington, DC (DCA)
Westchester County, NY (HPN)
JetBlue customers can rebook their flights until August 12. However, the original trip must have been booked by August 6.
The carrier wrote on its travel alerts page, “We are anticipating severe weather on the East Coast. We will waive change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling on JetBlue operated flights Friday, August 7, 2026. Customers may rebook their flights for travel through Wednesday, August 12, 2026, online in the manage trips section of jetblue.com prior to the departure time of their originally scheduled flight. Customers with cancelled flights may also opt for a refund to the original form of payment. Original travel must have been booked before Thursday, August 6, 2026.”
JetBlue has received scrutiny from its own pilots for its recent cancellation issues. The carrier will look to minimize disruptions, with yet another busy travel weekend ahead nationwide. For now, the carrier continues to face complications, including weather-related cancellations and the recent incident in which a man sneaked onto one of its aircraft, which resulted in a weekend delay this past Sunday.