USDOT to examine cancellations of Southwest Airlines, calls ‘unacceptable’

• The U.S. Transportation Department is investigating Southwest Airlines’ large number of cancellations and delays.
• USDOT says it will determine if the cancellations were within the airline’s control.
• Southwest Airlines cancelled 70% of scheduled flights on Monday, and more than 2,000 on Tuesday.

The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) announced late Monday that it would investigate the large number of Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) cancelled and delayed flights over the past few days to determine if they were within the airline’s control.

Southwest cancelled 2,886 flights, or 70% of scheduled flights, on Monday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, after cancelling 48% on Sunday. It has also already cancelled 60 percent, or over 2,400, of Tuesday’s scheduled flights.

“USDOT is concerned by Southwest Airlines’ disproportionate and unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays as well as the failure to properly support customers experiencing a cancellation or delay,” the department said.

It stated that it would “closely examine whether cancellations were controllable and whether Southwest is complying with its customer service plan as well as all other pertinent DOT rules.”

48% of Southwest flights were delayed on Sunday, and 16% on Monday.

Also Read

U.S. switches Spirit Airlines’ Newark peak-hour flight approvals

The U.S. Transportation Department reassigns 16 peak-hour runway timings at Newark Airport...

Southwest declined to comment late Monday on the USDOT statement, but pointed to a statement it issued earlier offering “heartfelt apologies” and stating that “with consecutive days of extreme winter weather across our network behind us, continuing challenges are impacting our customers and employees in a significant way that is unacceptable.”

The airline added that it was working “to urgently address wide-scale disruption by rebalancing the airline and repositioning crews and our fleet ultimately to best serve all who plan to travel with us.”

Other major U.S. airlines experienced significant cancellations in recent days, but not nearly as frequently as Southwest, and they have since recovered in large part.

USDOT cited Southwest Airlines’ customer service plan on Monday, which states the airline will provide meal or hotel vouchers for extended delays caused by airline-related issues, but not for unforeseen events such as weather.

Major U.S. airlines, including Southwest, informed USDOT in August that they would commit to providing meals for customers delayed by three hours and hotel rooms for stranded passengers if required by airline-controlled issues.

In the past, many airlines offered vouchers or hotel rooms for delays they caused, but their customer service plans did not specify all commitments.

Also Read

Over 1,500 US flights are canceled by airlines

  1,500 flights in the United States had been canceled Reagan National...