Southwest, other airlines cancel thousands of flights: DOT launches review - Axios

Passengers waiting for a Southwest Airlines formation astatine Denver International Airport successful Denver, Colorado, connected Dec. 22. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post

Thousands much flights were canceled connected Monday arsenic the effects of winter storms and operational challenges continued to interaction holiday travel.

The large picture: The Department of Transportation tweeted that it would look into the actions of Southwest, which accounted for a ample magnitude of the much than 3,900 formation cancelations and 8,200-plus delays within, into oregon retired of the U.S. arsenic of precocious Monday, per FlightAware data.

Photo: Southwest Airlines/Twitter

• The DOT said it's "concerned by Southwest's unacceptable complaint of cancellations and delays & reports of deficiency of punctual lawsuit service" and "will analyse whether cancellations were controllable and if Southwest is complying with its lawsuit work plan."

By the numbers: Southwest canceled astir 70% of its 2,886 flights Monday and 60% of immoderate 2,400, planned Tuesday flights, according to FlightAware.

• The Dallas-based bearer has canceled immoderate 8,000 flights from Thursday to Monday, per the formation tracking website.

What we're watching: Southwest CEO Bob Jordan told the Wall Street Journal Monday evening the hose would run conscionable implicit a 3rd of its docket Tuesday and Wednesday successful bid to alleviate the situation.

• The reduced capableness could beryllium extended for longer if necessary, arsenic airlines hole for caller twelvemonth vacation travel.
• "We had a pugnacious time today. In each likelihood we’ll person different pugnacious time day arsenic we enactment our mode retired of this," Jordan told the Journal. "This is the largest standard lawsuit that I've ever seen."

What they're saying: Southwest issued a statement Monday apologizing for the disruption.

• "With consecutive days of extreme wintertime weather crossed our web behind us, continuing challenges are impacting our customers and employees successful a important mode that is unacceptable," Southwest said.
• "We are moving with information astatine the forefront to urgently code wide-scale disruption by re-balancing the hose and repositioning crews and our fleet, yet to champion service each who program to question with us. And our heartfelt apologies for this are conscionable beginning."
• Representatives for Southwest did not instantly respond to Axios' petition for comment.

Editor's note: This nonfiction has been updated with further details throughout.