“$140 Million Holiday Shockwave! Southwest Airlines Fined for Flight Disruptions

Southwest Airlines has recently been ordered to pay a hefty fine of $140 million after their December 2022 holiday season flight disruptions. This fine was handed down by the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Enforcement Office after the airline failed to sufficiently comply with the DOT’s Passenger Protection Rule and the Department of Justice’s departmental consent decree. The fine is due to complaints filed by Southwest customers, all stemming from errors that occurred between December 25th, 2022 and February 5th, 2023. The airline was unable to live up to the expectations of their passengers due to unspecified “origin-destination disruptions.” This includes Southwest not notifying passengers within 24 hours of their flights taking off, not providing details regarding these disruptions, and not providing an apology. In the official DOT statement, Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao stated: “We are sending a strong message that everyone must be responsible and treat air travelers fairly. Airlines should always be mindful of the obligations they owe to their customers…” The Southwestern airline has long been a popular choice for travelers, however, their mishandling of the 2022 holiday season travel has likely tarnished their reputation. The airline has the option to appeal the $140 million fine, however, it remains to be seen if the airline chooses to take this course of action.