As previously reported by REVOLT, as of yesterday (Dec. 27), approximately 5,400 flights had been canceled by Southwest Airlines within 48 hours. While brutally cold temperatures and winter storms were the obvious reason for a portion of the nixed flights, the number of axed travel plans grew so large that a federal investigation by the United States Department of Transportation is now underway.
According to an article published today (Dec. 28) by the New York Post, Southwest Airlines has canceled 12,000 flights since Friday (Dec. 23), making the Christmas holiday a nightmare for thousands of travelers, many of whom are now stranded throughout the country. In addition to customers who are understandably frustrated, baggage claim stations have been a mess. Multiple news stations have reported large amounts of suitcases are being left unattended because they are arriving at airports before stranded passengers have a chance to retrieve them. Airline staff has also been overwhelmed by the avalanche of problems.
Yesterday, in an effort to do some much-needed damage control, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan issued a statement. In a nearly three-minute clip posted to the company’s official Twitter account, Jordan said he is “truly sorry.” He also referred to his employees as “heroic” and applauded them for trying their best to “stabilize the airline.” His video was accompanied by a message that read, “On the heels of wide-scale disruptions, we’re working diligently to safely recover our operation [and] accommodate displaced customers [and] crews. We know this is unacceptable [and] sincerely apologize. If your travel was impacted, explore self-service options here.” A link with further instructions was also provided.
The issue has grown so large that even President Biden released a statement. Yesterday, he vowed that his administration will ensure that airlines are held responsible for the massive inconvenience. Multiple outlets also reported that Southwest Airlines canceled all flights through the new year.
See related posts below.