Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue to snowball
Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue to snowball
Nearly two thirds of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed or cancelled Monday due to winter storms across the US and related staffing issues, according to a statement from the airline. (Dec 26)

FILE - A traveler wades through a field of unclaimed bags at the Southwest Airlines luggage carousels at Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Travelers wade through the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Stranded passenger, Gwendolyn Johnston, of Love Field, Dallas, holds her 14-month-old daughter, Madison, as she waits with family members at the Southwest terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Johnston’s family visited Disneyland for the holidays with two other families. Now, all 11 members must book hotel rooms near LAX, as they won’t be able to catch a return flight home in Texas until Jan. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Southwest Airlines jets are seen at the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Travelers line up to collect bags at the United Airlines baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Airline staff walks around a pile of suitcases near the baggage carousel at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were canceled and delayed during a winter storm. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday after the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S. The federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Travelers wait in line at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Airport staff looks at a tag on a pile of lost suitcases near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Brittany Kirk, 41, who arrived in Illinois on December 22 after a delayed flight from Denver, claims her lost luggage near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport in Chicago, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Travelers collect bags at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A traveler sleeps on a bench near the Southwest Airlines check-in counter at Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A Southwest Airlines jetliner head down a runway for take off from Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
FILE, Travelers wait on line for service at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter in Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE - A traveler wades through a field of unclaimed bags at the Southwest Airlines luggage carousels at Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE - A traveler wades through a field of unclaimed bags at the Southwest Airlines luggage carousels at Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Travelers wade through the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Stranded passenger, Gwendolyn Johnston, of Love Field, Dallas, holds her 14-month-old daughter, Madison, as she waits with family members at the Southwest terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Johnston’s family visited Disneyland for the holidays with two other families. Now, all 11 members must book hotel rooms near LAX, as they won’t be able to catch a return flight home in Texas until Jan. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Stranded passenger, Gwendolyn Johnston, of Love Field, Dallas, holds her 14-month-old daughter, Madison, as she waits with family members at the Southwest terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Johnston’s family visited Disneyland for the holidays with two other families. Now, all 11 members must book hotel rooms near LAX, as they won’t be able to catch a return flight home in Texas until Jan. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Southwest Airlines jets are seen at the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Southwest Airlines jets are seen at the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Travelers line up to collect bags at the United Airlines baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Airline staff walks around a pile of suitcases near the baggage carousel at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were canceled and delayed during a winter storm. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday after the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S. The federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Airline staff walks around a pile of suitcases near the baggage carousel at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were canceled and delayed during a winter storm. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday after the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S. The federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Travelers wait in line at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Travelers wait in line at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Southwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the U.S., and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was by far the most affected. Of the 2,890 flight cancellations in the U.S. early Tuesday, 2,522 were called off by Southwest, according to the tracking website FlightAware. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Airport staff looks at a tag on a pile of lost suitcases near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Airport staff looks at a tag on a pile of lost suitcases near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Brittany Kirk, 41, who arrived in Illinois on December 22 after a delayed flight from Denver, claims her lost luggage near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport in Chicago, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Brittany Kirk, 41, who arrived in Illinois on December 22 after a delayed flight from Denver, claims her lost luggage near the baggage carousel at Midway Airport in Chicago, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after Southwest Airlines flights were cancelled and delayed during a winter storm. Problems at Southwest Airlines appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm passed. It cancelled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Travelers collect bags at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim area in Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A traveler sleeps on a bench near the Southwest Airlines check-in counter at Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A Southwest Airlines jetliner head down a runway for take off from Denver International Airport Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
FILE, Travelers wait on line for service at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter in Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE, Travelers wait on line for service at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter in Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. With its flights now running on a roughly normal schedule, Southwest Airlines is turning its attention to luring back customers and repairing damage to a reputation for service after canceling 15,000 flights around Christmas. The disruptions started with a winter storm and snowballed when Southwest’s ancient crew-scheduling technology failed.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
DALLAS (AP) — Families hoping to catch a Southwest Airlines flight after days of cancellations, missing luggage and missed family connections suffered through another wave of scrubbed flights, with another 2,500 pulled from arrival and departure boards Wednesday.
Exhausted travelers sought passage by other means using different airlines, rental cars, or trains — or they’ve simply given up.
According to the FlightAware tracking service, more than 91% of all canceled flights in the U.S. early Wednesday were from Southwest, which has been unable to recover from ferocious winter storms that raked large swaths of the country over the weekend.
The operational systems of Southwest have been uniquely effected, so much so that the federal government is now investigating what happened at the Dallas carrier, which has frustrated its own flight and ground crews as well.
This week, with cancellations from other major airlines ranging from none to 2%, Southwest has canceled nearly 10,000 flights as of Wednesday and warned of thousands more Thursday and Friday, according to FlightAware.
In a video that Southwest posted late Tuesday, CEO Robert Jordan said Southwest would operate a reduced schedule for several days but hoped to be “back on track before next week.”
Jordan blamed the winter storm for snarling the airline’s “highly complex” network. He said Southwest’s tools for recovering from disruptions work “99% of the time, but clearly we need to double down” on upgrading systems to avoid a repeat of this week.
“We have some real work to do in making this right,” said Jordan, a 34-year Southwest veteran who became CEO in February. “For now, I want you to know that we are committed to that.”
The airline is now drawing unwanted attention from Washington.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has criticized airlines for previous disruptions, said his agency would examine the causes of Southwest’s widespread cancellations and whether the airline was meeting its legal obligations to stranded customers.
“Because what we’re seeing right now, from the system and the flights themselves to the inability to reach anybody on a customer service phone line, it is just completely unacceptable,” Buttigieg told CBS early Wednesday.
In Congress, the Senate Commerce Committee also promised an investigation. Two Senate Democrats called on Southwest to provide “significant” compensation for stranded travelers, saying that the airline has the money because it plans to pay $428 million in dividends next month.