Southwest operations continue to struggle as other airlines recover from major Christmas storm

It’s a Christmas holiday travel season that many passengers will likely want to forget.

Nearly 20,000 flights have been canceled since the Monday before Christmas (December 19), disrupting hundreds of thousands of travelers looking to get home for the holiday or visit loved ones around the world over Christmas. born.

While some passengers face lengthy delays, others are stranded for days, possibly missing their holiday altogether and leaving them unfinished.

It all started when one fierce winter storm swept much of the United States over Christmas week, sending temperatures in some cities to levels not seen in three decades. Combined with fierce winds that ravaged East Coast airports and widespread snow inland—more than 5 feet high in some parts of the Great Lakes—that’s the recipe for disaster in the national skies. family.

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Airlines besieged by the storm, with every major US airline major interruption from what some weather observers have described as a once-in-a-lifetime winter storm.

While the skies have cleared since then, most airlines are aiming to resume their operations with one major exception: Southwest Airlines.

The nation’s largest domestic carrier continues to suffer from what may be the largest operational crisis in Southwest’s history.

On Monday, December 26th alone, Southwest canceled a staggering 2,900 flights, according to FlightAware flight tracking service.

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Besides disrupting plans for travelers planning to fly with the low-cost giant, it also means Southwest accounts for nearly three-quarters of all US flights canceled the day after Christmas. And, in a particularly bleak milestone for Southwest, the airline also canceled about 700 other flights on Monday — or about 16% of its entire schedule for the day. Combined, that means more than 85% of Southwest’s Monday flights were canceled or delayed, according to FlightAware’s calculations.

And it won’t get any better until Friday. By 11 p.m. ET on Monday night, the airline had canceled more than 2,400 flights in advance on Tuesday and more than 2,300 on Wednesday — part of an effort to re-establish operations.

Southwest plans to operate about 1,500 flights a day, or about a third of its scheduled flights, through Friday, according to an internal memo seen by TPG and confirmed by the airline as a contract. legal and precise.

After days of delays and cancellations, the airline apologized on Monday for a posted statementwith executives saying they are doing everything they can to get back on track.

The number of cancellations has even overwhelmed Southwest’s phone lines, which – if you can get through – will have to wait for hours.

Some travel experts are warning against traveling with Southwest in the coming days and weeks, as the consequences of the crisis are yet to be determined.

“For now, I recommend postponing all travel to the Southwest for the coming days (and possibly weeks),” Joe Brancatelli wrote in a warning email to his channel subscribers. Travel Newsletter “Joe Sent Me”. “With so many of its planes out of service, a backlog of displaced travelers, and crews unable to successfully complete their missions, Southwest will take weeks to resolve its issues. . Its published schedule must now be deemed unreliable due to the depth and breadth of its operational problems.”

For its part, the U.S. Department of Transportation will investigate Southwest’s “unacceptable delays and cancellation rates,” the agency said in a statement. statementalthough there are currently no immediate policy changes.

Affected travelers are entitled to a refund for any canceled or significantly delayed flights and Southwest speak that it will “respect reasonable requests for reimbursement of meals, hotels and alternative transportation” for flights disrupted between December 24, 2022 and January 2, 2023.

So what happened in the Southwest? And what can travelers expect in the coming days — both on Southwest and other airlines — as they try to reach their destinations after a tumultuous Christmas week?

Why does Southwest have so many cancellations?

Like all US airlines, Southwest faced some particularly bad weather in the week before Christmas, with the worst storm affecting some of its busiest bases in Chicago. and Denver.

Some unexpected weather, including fog in San Diego and worse conditions in Denver than initially expected, according to a CNBC report.

However, Mother Nature isn’t trying to impede Southwest’s operations – all of the major US airlines are up against similar conditions.

It is the recovery that the Southwest seems to have failed. HR and technology issues combined have sent the carrier into a downward spiral.

In Denver, Denver song noted that “unusually high numbers of absenteeism among ramp dealers” affected Southwest operations there when the storm first began to affect the city. Although conditions have improved in Denver since then, carrier activity there remained poor for most of the Christmas week.

With schedules degrading so quickly in the midst of a winter storm, Southwest’s crew schedules struggled to keep up with the rapid changes needed to keep crews and aircraft in place. The CNBC report noted that pilots and flight attendants said they had difficulty accessing the airline’s planning department to take on the new assignment, further embroiling the airline.

That goes against Southwest’s famous old-school tech scene, which even the company appeared to acknowledge in its statement on Monday, saying “these operating conditions force us to change.” Daily flight schedules with volume and intensity still have the tools our teams use to restore the airline to full capacity.”

While the skies may have been clear, Southwest didn’t have its crew in the right place to make the scheduled flights. Airlines typically send crew across the country on any given day, and lengthy delays or cancellations can have a ripple effect across the entire network.

Multiply that by tens of thousands of employees and outdated technology, and Southwest is in what many describe as a “full-blown crisis.”

What should visitors expect on the eve of the new year?

As mentioned, Southwest plans to operate about 1,500 flights a day, or about a third of its scheduled flights, through Friday, according to an internal memo seen by TPG.

The airline will not be rebooking customers who have been disrupted on flights before Friday as it works to re-establish its network and crew schedules. It’s too early to say how Southwest’s plan will continue and whether it will cause additional disruption to New Year’s travel.

While all eyes may be on Southwest’s recovery, most other airlines appear to be about to adjust their ships.

The wildcard – as is common at this time of year – is Mother Nature. If she doesn’t have any more winter weather jokes up her sleeve, holiday flyers will likely find smooth sailing in the run-up to the New Year.

As of Tuesday, it looks like the airlines can really take a break. Forecasts show only what appears to be a modest weather threat to travel in the days leading up to New Year’s Day.

Tips for navigating operational crises

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a major operational crunch this year. In fact, Southwest face a (smaller) one in October 2021 and most of our advice is for handling outstanding business transactions.

However, there are some notable specifics that can help you get through this latest disruption.

Don’t check the bag

This may not be possible, but if you can, avoid checking bags. This latest wave of crisis has strained most airlines’ baggage handling systems, resulting in long (if not longer) waits for checked baggage. when flights are cancelled.

Even if you do eventually get to where you need to go, your checked baggage can take days — if not weeks — to show up.

If you have to check baggage, we recommend set Apple AirTag in your luggage and keep all your valuables in your hand luggage.

Direct Flight

With so many flights canceled and disrupted, you should definitely try to avoid connecting. Even if your first flight works as scheduled, it’s impossible to predict what will happen with the next flight.

If you start at your starting point, you can always go home to cut your losses. Once you’re on the road, finding a place to stay in some other city that isn’t your destination can be challenging.

Check your credit card benefits

Some TPG top recommended travel credit cards Includes trip interruption insurance and cancellation insurance.

Be sure to factor all airfare costs into these cards and read your benefits before travelling. If your flight is cancelled, notify your credit card company and take advantage of your benefits.

Book another airline

Southwest does not have any interline ticketing arrangements with other carriers, meaning you cannot rebook on another airline if your flight is cancelled.

If you have to get to your destination, consider booking a flight with another airline. You might have a hard time buying a walking ticket, but points and miles can help you offset some costs.

Remember that you are always get a refund (not credit) for any canceled flight to, from, or within the United States — whatever the reason.

throw in a towel

If you can avoid traveling right now, consider postponing your trip. It is clear that Southwest operations will take days, if not a week or more, to fully recover.

Even if you do eventually reach your destination, there is no guarantee that you will be able to get home as planned.

Save and send your receipt

Southwest Airlines posted on Frequently asked questions about travel disruptions that the airline will “respect reasonable requests for meal, hotel and alternative transportation reimbursement” to customers impacted by flight cancellations or significant flight delays during the period from December 24, 2022 to January 2, 2023.

Those receipts can be submitted “for review” through Southwest websitewhere you can describe your situation and upload copies of incidentals.