The U.S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Pete Buttigieg will require Southwest Airlines to give prompt refunds and reimburse extra expenses after its holiday cancellation meltdown, adding pressure from Washington to speed along a move the carrier is already making to placate customers.
The notice from Washington on Tuesday comes as Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is trying to dissect what actually happened to its crew scheduling systems that prompted more than 16,700 cancellations in late December and figure out how to prevent it from happening again.
“Since the Southwest meltdown, DOT has received thousands of consumer complaints about Southwest — including complaints about lack of ticket refunds and reimbursements for services when a traveler was stranded,” a DOT spokesperson said in a statement. “No amount of financial compensation can fully make up for passengers who missed moments with their families that they can never get back, but DOT will continue to work to ensure that Southwest takes care of its customers.”
