The Transportation Department sues Southwest Airlines for alleged oft-delayed flights
The agency is seeking civil penalties against Southwest Airlines, and also fined Frontier Airlines for its continuous delays.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest is changing how it boards planes, but don’t expect it to be faster
Southwest Airlines is expected to say more this week about its major change to assigned seats. It’s part of a larger shift across the industry to maximize revenue, even if it makes boarding slower.
Southwest Airlines says ‘assigned and premium seating’ will replace open seating plan
Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan says research shows passengers “overwhelmingly prefer” an assigned-seat system. He also pledged to improve the airline's financial performance.
Soda cans are exploding on Southwest flights due to sky-high temperatures
The extreme heat searing the U.S. this summer is having an unexpected consequence thousands of feet in the air: It's causing some beverage cans on Southwest Airlines flights to burst when opened.
Southwest will pay a $140 million fine for its meltdown during the 2022 holidays
The U.S. Transportation Department ordered Southwest Airlines to pay a $140 million civil penalty as part of an agreement over operational failures that stranded millions of passengers a year ago.
Southwest Airlines says it's ready for the holidays after its meltdown last December
A major blizzard set off a series of issues last year that forced the airline to cancel more than 16,000 flights, stranding passengers across the U.S. Southwest says this year will be different.
Biden wants airlines to pay passengers whose flights are hit by preventable delays
No airline currently offers cash compensation in addition to refunds or amenities. The White House plans to change that. The move comes after a chaotic holiday travel season.
Southwest's COO will tell senators 'we messed up' over the holiday travel meltdown
NPR obtained Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson's prepared testimony for his scheduled appearance before a Senate committee to discuss what led to thousands of flights being canceled.
An Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights seeks to make flying feel more humane
The meltdowns that recently brought flights to a halt have prompted lawmakers to draft new rules for airlines. The changes would give travelers at least $1,350 if bumped from an overbooked flight.
Southwest faces investigation over holiday travel disaster as it posts a $220M loss
The Department of Transportation says it is looking into the airline's flight scheduling practices and will hold it accountable for refunds. The 16,700 canceled flights cost Southwest $800 million.