Cancellations for Southwest Airline flights across the country that began with a winter storm last Wednesday have continued well into the next week, with the airline canceling over 2,350 flights in airports all over the United States for Thursday, Dec. 29.
- Read more: Southwest workers had to work 16-hour days during ‘holiday meltdown,’ union president says
The airline continually blamed its ongoing issues on “adverse weather effects,” but passengers and government officials alike were skeptical of the airline’s claims, especially with all other airlines navigating the pre-Christmas winter storm that affected the majority of the county.
During the days-long cancellation spree, passengers said they had little notice of their flight cancellations, were left unable to rebook flights through the airline or talk to its customer support, and lost their luggage.
Southwest Airline ground workers were also impacted, working 16 hour days through illnesses while getting frostbitten during the treacherous weather conditions, according to a press release from Transportation Workers Union Local 555 President Randy Barnes.
And, as of Thursday, Dec. 29 — over a week since the cancellations began, Southwest canceled 76% of its flights at Boston Logan International Airport, or 26 flights, according to flight tracker site FlightAware.com.
The airline stated in a press release on Tuesday that it was working to remedy the domino-effect of issues caused by the flight cancelations, while Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg also connected with the airline’s CEO and announced the Department of Transportation would be examining Southwest’s actions during its fiasco.
The airline also gave guidance for passengers to submit receipts for their disrupted travel expenses, request a refund for canceled flights and asked them to share information regarding lost luggage for their return.
Here is a list of other major New England airlines and their Southwest cancellations for Thursday, Dec. 29 as of 8 a.m., according to FlightAware.
- Bradley International Airport in Connecticut: 81% of Southwest flights canceled, 18 flights total
- Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire: 72% of Southwest flights canceled, 13 flights total
- Green Airport in Rhode Island: 65% of Southwest flights canceled, 17 flights total
- Portland International Jetport in Maine: 50% of Southwest flights canceled, 3 flights total
FlightAware did not have information available for Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine or for Burlington International Airport in South Burlington, Vermont.