Thousands of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed or canceled nationwide on Monday, resulting in rising criticism of the airline from disgruntled passengers and the federal government.
The airline canceled 2,886 flights on Monday, or 70% of scheduled flights, amid a winter storm impacting parts of the country, in accordance to flight monitoring web site FlightAware. Every airline has needed to cancel or delay flights over the final a number of days, however Southwest's totals are particularly high.
Of the greater than 160 flight cancelations and greater than 340 delays at Los Angeles International Airport that left passengers stranded as they try to return home after Christmas, 106 of the cancelations and nearly 30 delays were from Southwest flights, in accordance to FOX 11.
Southwest said they're rebooking as many customers as possible and that individuals who've had flights canceled may ask for a refund or obtain a credit, though rebooking relies upon on open seats on available flights.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CANCEL MORE THAN HALF OF FLIGHTS BECAUSE OF WINTER WEATHER
Passengers at LAX said the earliest the airline could rebook their flight was December 31. Southwest Airlines' web site shows there are no flights available departing LAX for Sea-Tac (SEA), New York (LGA) or San Francisco (SFO) through December 31.
And in Chicago's Midway International Airport, greater than 300 flights were canceled as of 5 p.m. native time.
Passengers are frustrated with the airline and have said they didn't learn of the issues till arriving on the airport for his or her flights. More than half of the Southwest flights at that airport were canceled Monday.
Southwest delayed 48% of flights on Sunday and 16% on Monday, and the airline has already canceled 60% of its scheduled flights for Tuesday.
Now, the U.S. Department of Transportation is criticizing Southwest, saying the speed of canceled flights is "unacceptable."
HOLIDAY TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS: AIRLINES ISSUE WAIVERS AHEAD OF WINTER STORM
"USDOT is involved by Southwest Airlines’ disproportionate and unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays, in addition to the failure to correctly support customers experiencing a cancellation or delay," the division said in a statement. "As extra information turns into available, the division will closely examine whether or not cancellations were controllable and whether or not Southwest is complying with its buyer support plan, in addition to all different pertinent DOT rules."
Southwest declined to remark to FOX News Digital about criticisms from passengers and the Department of Transportation, however pointed to an earlier assertion in which the airline expressed "heartfelt apologies" and said it's working to "urgently address wide-scale disruption" with security on the forefront.
"With consecutive days of excessive winter climate throughout our community behind us, persevering with challenges are impacting our Customers and Employees in a significant way that's unacceptable," the airline said.
