DOT Files Lawsuit Against Southwest Airlines for Chronic Flight Delays

A traveler walks through the Southwest Airlines ticketing counter area at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on April 18, 2023. Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

The Department of Transportation (DOT) filed a lawsuit on Jan. 15 against Southwest Airlines alleging the company has “caused significant harm to its customers” owing to “chronically delayed flights.”

“Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times,” DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement on the lawsuit. “Today’s action sends a message to all airlines that the department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.”