Southwest Airlines

National

Southwest is changing how it boards planes, but don’t expect it to be faster

5:00am September 24, 2024

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.

Queue Listen Now

Southwest Airlines Temporarily Halts Flights In U.S. Due To Computer Glitch

National

Southwest Airlines says ‘assigned and premium seating’ will replace open seating plan

11:29am July 25, 2024

by Bill Chappell

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

3:15pm July 19, 2024

by Rachel Treisman

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.

Pristine Floyde searches for a friend's suitcase in a baggage holding area for Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport in December 2022.

National

Southwest will pay a $140 million fine for its meltdown during the 2022 holidays

9:45am December 18, 2023

by Joel Rose

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.

A Southwest Airlines jetliner approaches Denver International Airport on May 26. The airline has spent months preparing for the holiday travel season after a meltdown last December that left thousands stranded.

National

Southwest Airlines says it's ready for the holidays after its meltdown last December

5:00am November 09, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

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.

Travelers wait in line at the Southwest Airlines ticketing counter at Nashville International Airport after the airline cancelled thousands of flights in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 27, 2022.

Biden wants airlines to pay passengers whose flights are hit by preventable delays

2:47pm May 08, 2023

by Juliana Kim

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 Airlines Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday to discuss the cancellation of nearly 16,700 flights in December.

Southwest's COO will tell senators 'we messed up' over the holiday travel meltdown

10:40pm February 08, 2023

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.

Southwest canceled more than 16,700 flights over several days in late December, leaving thousands of travelers stranded for days. Now lawmakers are attempting to hold airlines to account for disruptions and cancellations with a new Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights.

National

An Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights seeks to make flying feel more humane

5:01am February 07, 2023

by Vanessa Romo

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.

Travelers wait in line at the Southwest Airlines ticketing counter at Nashville International Airport after the airline canceled thousands of flights in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 27, 2022. The Department of Transportation is investigating the disaster, which led to $220 million in losses for Southwest

National

Southwest faces investigation over holiday travel disaster as it posts a $220M loss

11:32am January 26, 2023

by Kaitlyn Radde

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.

Stranded Southwest Airlines passengers look for their luggage in Chicago last month.

National

Southwest promoted five executives just weeks after a disastrous meltdown

4:40pm January 10, 2023

by Bill Zeeble

The airline has promoted some senior-level officials after a historic failure that affected hundreds of thousands of passengers during peak holiday travel.