NEWS: Southwest Airlines Hit With NEW Lawsuit for Chronically Delayed Flights

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines. The Department claims that Southwest Airlines is “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights,” causing harm to “passengers and fair competition across the airline industry.” Southwest is facing maximum civil penalties, and the lawsuit was filed jointly with the Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Orlando International Airport

Airlines are prohibited from falsely promising flight schedules that are inaccurate and unrealistic per federal regulations. In this case, Southwest Airlines advertised flight times that did not reflect actual departure and arrival times. The Department of Transportation claims unrealistic scheduling is an “unfair, deceptive, and anticompetitive practice” that misleads customers.

Per federal regulations, “unrealistic scheduling” happens when an airline continues to market a flight route incorrectly when that flight has been chronically delayed for more than four consecutive months. Further, a flight is considered “chronically delayed” if the route has been flown “at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time.”

Keep a close eye on your flight — it could be delayed!

According to a statement from the Department of Transportation, Southwest Airlines operated two chronically delayed flights, resulting in 180 flight disruptions for passengers between April and August of 2022. One flight route was between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, while the other was between Baltimore, Maryland, and Cleveland, Ohio. The DOT revealed that each flight was chronically delayed five months in a row.

Southwest

Working with the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics stated that Southwest “was responsible for more than 90% of the disruptions for the two chronically delayed flights.” Although DOT rules allow airlines time to fix their flight schedule in the event of disruptions, “Southwest failed to fix the chronically delayed flights.”

Flying to Disney World

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, “Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times. Today’s action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.”

Southwest Airlines at the Orlando Airport

In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, Southwest said it was “disappointed” by the lawsuit and stated that the two flights do not reflect its operation.

We will continue to share updates in this case. Stay tuned for more.

How You Can Be Compensated for Flight Delays or Cancelations

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