![]() Some pilots and flight attendants were forced to sleep at airports because they were unable to find hotel rooms, their unions said. The agency said it will examine whether cancellations were controllable and whether Southwest is complying with its customer service plan and other federal regulations.ĭelta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines were also affected by the weather, but had a smaller share of cancellations. Department of Transportation had also said it is "concerned by Southwest Airlines' disproportionate and unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays as well as the failure to properly support customers experiencing a cancellation or delay." But the company can start by fairly compensating passengers whose flights were canceled, including not only rebooked tickets, ticket refunds, and hotel, meal, and transportation reimbursement, but significant monetary compensation for the disruption to their holiday plans," they said in a statement. "For those travelers whose holidays have been ruined, there is no real way for Southwest to make this right. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., also called on the carrier to compensate travelers and noted that Southwest executives have acknowledged the mass cancellations were largely due to the failure of the airline's own internal systems. Consumers deserve strong protections, including an updated consumer refund rule," said Sen. Many airlines fail to adequately communicate with consumers during flight cancellations. The Committee will be looking into the causes of these disruptions and its impact to consumers. ![]() "The problems at Southwest Airlines over the last several days go beyond weather. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower ![]() Moreover, there is no federal law requiring carriers to compensate passengers for delays, according to the DOT, and airlines are given the freedom to create their own reimbursement practices. Travelers should be familiar with their carrier's delay policy and not be afraid to ask for a meal or hotel voucher regardless of the reason for the delay.Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit In the case of weather, there is no obligation for airlines to offer anything to passengers because the disruptions are outside of the carrier's control, so passengers may be limited in what they get. Travelers can also request vouchers for meals and hotel stays if disruption to a trip is severe. However, the airline may not be inclined to help once a booking is fully canceled and refunded. Travel credits offered by the airline can often only be used on that airline, while a refund gives travelers additional freedom, whether it be to scrap a trip outright or rebook with a different airline. Passengers in line in Miami to rebook canceled American Airlines flights in 2021.Īirlines must provide a refund to travelers who cancel their bookings outright, according to the Department of Transportation. Buttegieg warned that the Department of Transportation may take enforcement action, such as fines against carriers, if they don't comply, Politico reported. ![]() ![]() Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pressed airline executives this week to improve operations by taking steps like cutting additional flights from summer schedules. The travel woes have intensified since Memorial Day weekend, when more than 2,500 flights were canceled, as airlines struggle to keep up with overwhelming demand and labor shortages that have left many carriers understaffed. If the Memorial Day and Juneteenth holiday weekend travel snarls are any indication, flight delays and cancellations are going to be an unfortunate theme this summer.Īirlines have canceled or delayed nearly 16,000 flights within, out of, or into the US since Friday according to Flight Aware, thwarting holiday plans for travelers around the country, and in one case, even leaving dozens of passengers stranded for more than 24 hours at the Atlanta airport. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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