Transportation Department probe will look at whether Southwest overscheduled flights
The U.S. DOT is in the initial phases of a probe into Southwest Airlines' travel meltdown, and the agency will look at whether flights were overscheduled.
The Transportation Department is in the initial phases of an investigation into Southwest Airlines' travel meltdown, and it will look at whether executives overscheduled flights, a spokesperson said.
Southwest canceled thousands of flights, slashing around two-thirds of its daily schedule, for days as it struggled to recover from winter weather even as other airlines managed. Passengers were stranded and scrambled to find other ways to get home.
The Transportation Department is “probing whether Southwest executives engaged in unrealistic scheduling of flights which under federal law is considered an unfair and deceptive practice,” the spokesperson said.
What’s causing Southwest’s mass flight cancellations?Dec. 29, 202202:39Southwest said in a statement Wednesday that it was prepared, but there was a massive winter storm. It said it will continue to cooperate with all inquiries.
“Our holiday flight schedule was thoughtfully designed and offered to our Customers with the backing of a solid plan to operate it, and with ample staffing,” Southwest said. “Our systems and processes became stressed while working to recover from multiple days of flight cancelations across 50 airports in the wake of an unprecedented storm.”
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