Southwest will pay a fine of over 120 million dollars for its incident during the holidays
The Southwest Airlines Holiday Meltdown and the Transportation Department’s Measurement of DOT’s Effect on the Customer Experience in the Era of Hurricane Sandy
In a statement announcing Monday’s action, transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said that he will use the full extent of his authority to hold airlines accountable if they fail their passengers.
The airline has already paid out more than $600 million in refunds and reimbursements to travelers who faced disruptions. In total, the airline will pay out over $750 million for the holiday meltdown, DOT said.
The U.S. Transportation Department has ordered Southwest to pay a $140 million civil penalty, part of a broader consent order after the airline’s operational failures a year ago.
“We have spent the past year acutely focused on efforts to enhance the Customer Experience with significant investments and initiatives that accelerate operational resiliency,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines President & CEO in a statement. “Our commitment to Customers has been central to our success across our 52-year history and has helped us become one of the world’s most admired and trusted airlines.”
airlines canceled thousands of flights after a major winter storm last December. But while other airlines recovered relatively quickly, Southwest fell apart. More than 2 million passengers were stranded after the airline canceled 16,900 flights.
