More than 3,000 U.S. flights were canceled Tuesday among all carriers, with Southwest accounting for more than 2,600 of the total—a problem the airline blamed partly on tools for tracking and creating employee schedules.
The U.S. Department of Transportation called the rate of Southwest cancellations “disproportionate and unacceptable,” and sought to ensure that the Dallas carrier was sticking by its obligations to stranded customers.
According to FlightAware, a website that tracks airline delays and cancellations, 5,409 flights had been canceled Monday as of 4:30 p.m., while more than 16,000 flights had been delayed.
Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding and even tornadoes from Thursday to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains and Midwest to the East Coast.
The massive order—United called it the biggest ever by a U.S. airline for twin-aisle or “widebody” planes—is a bold move for an airline that lost money throughout the pandemic until the middle of this year.
Major carriers United Airlines Holdings Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc. said they had relatively smooth operations during the holidays, with only a handful of cancellations.
Experts say many people will start holiday trips early or return home later than normal because they will spend a few days working remotely — or at least tell the boss they’re working remotely.
The largest U.S. airlines, which accounted for the bulk of complaints about refunds, avoided fines, and an official said no other U.S. carriers are being investigated for potential fines.
Airline executives say that based on bookings, they expect huge demand for flights over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Travel experts say the best deals for airfares and hotels are already gone.
Indianapolis-based Republic Airways is launching a combination of recruitment, training and retention efforts, including a career fair for middle school, high school and college students.
On the table are double-digit pay increases and changes to scheduling rules, which would be a boon to pilots but would increase airline costs.
The Air Line Pilots Association said Tuesday that 94% of the nearly 10,000 United pilots who took part voted against a tentative agreement that the union and United reached in June.
Executives at all three big U.S. airlines said they see no indication that consumer concerns about inflation and the economy are hurting ticket sales.
JetBlue emerged as the winner in a bidding war with Frontier to acquire Spirit, the nation’s biggest budget airline. But the deal could still face a challenge from federal antitrust regulators.
Union officials have pointed to a 2020-2021 increase in incidents involving unruly passengers as demonstrating the need to give cabin crews more rest between shifts.
The new rule is intended help consumers save money up front and encourage more competition among airlines to offer better fares.
The disclosures would cover any fees for passengers to sit with their children, to change or cancel a flight, and to bring checked or carry-on bags.
Bryan Bedford, CEO of Indianapolis-based Republic, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the FAA’s decision. He said the agency didn’t give the airline’s request the review that it deserved.
Business travelers generally pay higher fares, so the absence of so many of them has an outsized impact on airline revenue and profit.
Starting Thursday, travelers will be able to check the dashboard and see what kinds of guarantees, refunds or compensation the major domestic airlines offer in case of flight delays or cancellations.
