Justin Bieber -- Paparazzi Lawsuit Is Making Me Jet Blue

Justin Bieber refuses to fly commercial, and says it's way too pricey to fuel up his private jet for a trip to Miami ... so he wants to video chat for a mediation hearing with the photog who's suing him.

According to docs, JB asked a judge to give him a pass on appearing in person for Jeffrey Binion's lawsuit. Binion is accusing Bieber and a bodyguard of roughing him up in 2013.

Bieber says he's too busy churning out a new album to go to Miami -- plus it'll cost him over $68K to fly himself and his entourage by private jet. Binion's lawyers say Justin could nab a first class commercial flight for $1K.

As for the album -- Binion's team says suck it up, Bieber ... life isn't always fair, and sometimes you gotta miss work to fight lawsuits. Best of all ... they remind him he has to play by American rules, even though he's Canadian.

We're told the judge agreed with Binion -- Justin has to be in Miami before March 20th for the hearing.