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The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has taken legal action against Southwest Airlines, accusing the carrier of operating multiple “chronically delayed” flights and disrupting passengers’ travel. The lawsuit alleges that Southwest operated two such flights between April and August 2022, resulting in a total of 180 flight disruptions for passengers.
According to the USDOT’s investigation, these flights were delayed by at least 30 minutes more than half the time they operated. This constitutes a violation of federal regulations, which defines a chronically delayed flight as one that is flown at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late over 50% of the time.
Southwest Airlines has responded to the lawsuit by expressing disappointment in the USDOT’s decision to pursue legal action. The airline points out that since the USDOT issued its Chronically Delayed Flight policy in 2009, Southwest has operated over 20 million flights without any other CDF violations. Furthermore, the carrier notes that it led the industry in completing more than 99% of its flights without cancellation in 2024.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Southwest Airlines has faced legal action from the USDOT. In 2023, the agency fined the airline for a holiday meltdown that stranded millions of passengers. The USDOT also recently announced a $2 million penalty against JetBlue for operating chronically delayed flights.
In related news, the USDOT has also taken enforcement action against Frontier Airlines, fining the carrier $650,000 in civil penalties. Of this amount, $325,000 will be paid to the US Treasury, while the remaining $325,000 will be suspended if Frontier does not operate any further chronically delayed flights over the next three years.
The USDOT’s investigation into Southwest and other airlines is part of its ongoing efforts to protect the rights and interests of air travelers.
Source: www.theverge.com
