Southwest Airlines Targets Dec. 30 for Return to Normal Operations

Travelers search for their suitcases in a baggage holding area for Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colo., on Dec. 28, 2022. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

After canceling more than 15,000 flights over the last week, Southwest Airlines has announced that it aims to return to normal operations “with minimal disruptions” by Friday.

On Thursday, the Dallas-based airline was still only operating about one-third of its schedule, with more than 2,300 flights canceled.

“We are encouraged by the progress we’ve made to realign Crew, their schedules, and our fleet,” Southwest said in a statement. “With another holiday weekend full of important connections for our valued Customers and Employees, we are eager to return to a state of normalcy.”

While also acknowledging that its apologies could “only go so far,” the company also directed those affected by the disruptions to a new webpage where they could submit their requests for refunds and reimbursements and report missing luggage.

“We have much work ahead of us, including investing in new solutions to manage wide-scale disruptions,” Southwest added. “We aim to serve our Customers and Employees with our legendary levels of Southwest Hospitality and reliability again very soon.”

Southwest’s statement follows the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Dec. 26 announcement that it intends to investigate the airline’s “unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays” and reports of poor customer service.

“The Department will examine whether cancellations were controllable and if Southwest is complying with its customer service plan,” DOT said in a tweet.

Winter Storm

On Dec. 24, Southwest reported that more than half of the airports the airline operates out of in the continental United States were “under duress” from Winter Storm Elliot.

Elliot, described by forecasters as a “once-in-a-generation” storm, wreaked havoc on more than just the transportation industry as it swept the nation last week. The massive, deadly storm, created by a bomb cyclone, killed more than 38 people and left hundreds of thousands without power.

“We were fully staffed and prepared for the approaching holiday weekend when the severe weather swept across the continent, where Southwest is the largest carrier in 23 of the top 25 travel markets in the U.S.,” Southwest said Monday prior to DOT’s announcement.

Asserting that those weather conditions were the cause of the “unprecedented” changes to the airline’s flight schedule, the company advised that it was working to address the issue by “rebalancing” the airline and repositioning its crews and fleet.

‘Meltdown’

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, however, did not appear convinced that Elliot was to blame for Southwest’s woes when he appeared on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday.

“We are past the point where they could say this is a weather-driven issue,” Buttigieg said, calling the situation a “meltdown.”

“As of today, the rest of the aviation system is down to a rate of about 4 percent of flights being canceled, and as you reported, we’re north of 60 percent right now when it comes to Southwest,” he continued. “So, what this indicates is a system failure, and they need to make sure that these stranded passengers get to where they need to go and that they’re provided adequate compensation.”

Buttigieg also noted that Southwest’s executives had promised him that they would “go above and beyond” to fix the issues, though he added that his department would be closely monitoring the situation.

Other Airlines Respond

With thousands of travelers stranded by Southwest’s cancelations, other airlines have begun implementing measures to help them get home.

“We’re doing our part to help get people where they need to be and we’re putting a cap on fares for select cities,” American Airlines wrote in response to a tweet from one frustrated flier who was trying to book an alternate flight home.

The price caps vary by location in areas that have been affected by disruptions, an American Airlines spokesperson told CNN.

United Airlines has also announced price caps on some routes serviced by Southwest Airlines that will remain in effect through Saturday.

“We continue to get people to their destinations as safely and quickly as possible this busy holiday season and our latest effort includes capping fares in select cities to make sure our flights are available to as many customers as possible,” said Josh Freed, a spokesperson for United, per CNN.