As Southwest Airlines returns to normal flight scheduling, the company has another daunting task ahead: making amends to inconvenienced flyers — many of whom can’t put a price on their scrapped plans and missed time with family over the holidays.
The airline is beginning to process refunds to customers after it canceled more than 15,000 flights over the peak holiday travel season, revealing infrastructure and technology issues within the 51-year-old company. It pledged it would honor “reasonable requests” for passengers whose flights were disrupted between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2, many of whom endured additional expenses from hotel accommodations, rental car costs, and other meal and living expenses.
The airline sent 25,000 Rapid Rewards points in vouchers to passengers affected by the meltdown on Tuesday, which it described as a “gesture of goodwill.” The frequent flyer points, worth around $300, can be used on future flight fares, gift cards and merchandise, according to an email sent to travelers.
