• The US Transportation Department has forwarded thousands of customer complaints to Southwest Airlines.
• The airline has been ordered to respond to all consumer complaints in a meaningful way within 60 days.
• Southwest also started a seasonal deal on Tuesday with some one-way flights as low as $49.

As part of its ongoing investigation, the US Transportation Department announced on Tuesday that it has forwarded thousands of customer complaints resulting from Southwest Airlines’ (LUV.N) huge flight cancellations in December.

According to the Transportation Department, Southwest has been ordered to respond to all consumer complaints in a meaningful way within 60 days as required by law.

The organisation has frequently threatened to hold Southwest accountable if it doesn’t fulfil its commitments to compensate passengers impacted by the more than 16,000 flights cancelled owing to a severe winter storm and the company’s antiquated technology.

In a statement on Tuesday, Southwest stated that it is “making every effort” to refund and compensate passengers and that it is currently processing flight refund requests in an average of around three days.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we continue this all-hands effort to assist those affected by the recent travel disruption,” the company said in a statement.

Southwest also started a seasonal deal on Tuesday with some one-way flights as low as $49. Last January, Southwest ran a similar promotion with rates as low as $39 one-way.

According to some observers, the airline was planning to provide discounted fares as part of its efforts to appease passengers and divert attention from the most recent financial crisis.

Some investors are pressuring Southwest to attract consumers after it issued a warning that it will suffer a quarterly earnings loss of up to $825 million.

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