Southwest Airlines under scrutiny after stranded a staggering number of passengers
New York – Southwest Airlines It is on fire after a tremendous amount of passengers are stranded.
Airlines canceled 70% of flights on Monday. The federal government wants to know why.
At LaGuardia Airport, passengers slept on benches all night. It was a clear sign that the holiday travel nightmare wasn’t over.
As of early Tuesday morning, more than 60 Southwest Airlines flights from LaGuardia had already been canceled, according to FlightAware.com, and the number could rise.
This leaves thousands of customers stranded with very limited options to leave the city.
With nearly 4,000 Southwest Airlines flights nationwide on Monday, this is like a bad Christmas present, and it keeps on giving.
“There are no turnstiles at all, loads up to the wall, and lots of people,” Southwest customer Aggie Boswell said.
Much of that frustration was directed at over 70% of the flights that were cancelled. The airline said it was well prepared in terms of personnel for the holiday weekend, but bad weather across the country created operational challenges.
Travelers Susan and Rick Biegler wrote, “We walked in at 5 this morning and it was crazy.
Traveler Patricia Mamenga said, “People kept calling for about four hours and still got no answer.
Southwest employees also expressed frustration in the chaos.
In a tweet, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it was “concerned by reports of Southwest Airlines’ unacceptable cancellation rates, delays and lack of prompt customer service.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he is tracking the matter and will make an announcement on Tuesday.
It’s a rough ride and everyone wants to get off.
“I’ve been waiting with Southwest Airlines for about an hour and a half and haven’t heard anything about what’s going on,” traveler Heather Smith said.
At baggage claim, our bags were piled up and left unclaimed throughout the area.
Traveler Ben Rodriguez said, “The flight was canceled last night.
Unfortunately, these problems are expected to continue through Tuesday, with more than 60 flights canceled with LaGuardia as of early Tuesday morning.
For more information:
LaGuardia Airport (LGA):
John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK):
Newark Airport (EWR):
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/southwest-airlines-under-scrutiny-after-leaving-stunning-amount-of-passengers-stranded/ Southwest Airlines under scrutiny after stranded a staggering number of passengers
