- The US Department of Transportation is getting associated with the Southwest Airways delays.
- Sec. Pete Buttigieg met with the CEO of Southwest airways, as perfectly as union leaders, on Tuesday.
- The DOT reminded travellers that the airline claims to offer food vouchers and accommodations to stranded travelers.
Secretary Pete Buttigieg fulfilled with Southwest airways CEO Bob Jordan, as perfectly as union leaders, to reiterate the firm’s “tasks to customers” amid vacation chaos, Buttigieg told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.
Buttigieg instructed CNN that the Section of Transportation would keep Southwest accountable immediately after he claimed the airline experienced promised the section in crafting final summer months that they would “consider care of shoppers” in the course of delays and cancellations.
“Now that we have those commitments that were designed to us above the summer months, we’re going to be making use of that as a resource to hold them accountable,” Buttigieg claimed on CNN. “And I produced that crystal clear to Southwest management. Now… the CEO pledged to me that they will not only satisfy but they will exceed the buyer support specifications and commitments that they have designed to us in the previous and that we’re in a placement to implement.”
Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds of flights following the holiday weekend as a end result of the historic winter storm that has taken maintain across the country. On Monday, the airline canceled virtually 2,900 flights, or 70% of its complete flights.
Southwest explained to Insider in a assertion Monday that the cancellations arose, in section, due to their scheduling tools, which some airline workers have complained is out-of-date.
“We are encouraging Prospects to post receipts to be regarded for reimbursement. We have assisted with accommodations in some circumstances,” the airline told Insider.
—TransportationGov (@USDOT) December 27, 2022
On Twitter, the DOT connected to the Southwest Airways purchaser company plan, which states:
- The airline will rebook customers on the subsequent obtainable Southwest flight to your spot at no extra price. Southwest also presents refunds for tickets.
- For situation that are inside the airline’s manage, team will deliver a meal voucher on request or will deliver “fair” reimbursement for meals purchased.
- For situations that are in just the airline’s handle, staff will arrange lodging on request if obtainable or give acceptable reimbursement for lodging. Staff can also supply transportation vouchers or reimbursement.
- For situation that are not inside of the airline’s command, employees can test to arrange discounts for lodging in the vicinity of the airport.
On Monday, USDOT identified as the amount of cancellations from Southwest “unacceptable” and introduced that they would be investigating the result in of the delays.
“USDOT is involved by Southwest’s unacceptable fee of cancellations and delays & reviews of lack of prompt consumer support,” a assertion study. “The Department will study whether cancellations were being controllable and if Southwest is complying with its shopper assistance program.”