{"id":1790676,"date":"2022-12-30T10:34:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T15:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1790676"},"modified":"2022-12-30T10:34:43","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T15:34:43","slug":"rival-airlines-cap-fares-amid-southwest-flight-cancellation-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rival-airlines-cap-fares-amid-southwest-flight-cancellation-meltdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Rival Airlines Cap Fares Amid Southwest Flight Cancellation Meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frival-airlines-cap-fares-amid-southwest-flight-cancellation-meltdown%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1790676&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47-->\n<p>In the wake <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-southwest-airlines\">Southwest Airlines<\/a>\u2019 cancellation disaster over the past week, some competitors are filling in to assist its stranded customers at the end of the holiday travel season.<\/p>\n<p>Rival carriers have been capped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-airfares\">airfares<\/a> Southwest customers booked last minute domestic flights at several key airports after the airline cancelled thousands of departures.<\/p>\n<p>Airlines across the United States were forced by a massive strike to end thousands of flights. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-winter-storm\">winter storm<\/a> A large portion of the country was swept away during and before the Christmas holiday weekend.<\/p>\n<p>Southwest, however, did worse due to an outdated computer system.<\/p>\n<p>After slamming the Midwest and Plains, the storm moved through the Great Lakes Region to the East Coast. It caused havoc in New York City, including Buffalo.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, another winter front has brought heavy precipitation to the Pacific Northwest. It also disrupted travel.<\/p>\n<p>So far, at least 60 people have died\u00a0across the country due to weather-related incidents since last week.<\/p>\n<h2>Southwest Operations are in Disarray as Other Airlines Take Over<\/h2>\n<p>While many airlines have since recovered, Southwest continues to push its employees to work overtime in order to help the overwhelmed crews across America restore flight schedules.<\/p>\n<p>Reports of stranded\u00a0travelers and canceled flights during the busy holiday travel season have drawn scrutiny from Biden administration officials and members of Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Transportation Secretary\u00a0Pete Buttigieg,\u00a0called for\u00a0airlines to cap fares <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecretaryPete\/status\/1607879880162836481?s=20&#038;t=2ITia74rooBnEtQMu_voiQ\">in a tweet<\/a>Say it!\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m encouraged to see several airlines have now committed to this step\u2014all of them should.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Soon after, Delta Air Lines began to cap fares in all domestic or international markets where Southwest operates up through January 2.<\/p>\n<p>American Airlines posted on Twitter, that it was doing its bit. \u201chelp get people where they need to be and we\u2019re putting a cap on fares for select cities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for United Airlines said that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/airlines-cap-fares-as-southwest-cancellations-continue-11672246329?mod=e2tw\">The Wall Street Journal<\/a> It was \u201ccapping fares in select cities to make sure our flights are available to as many customers as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\">Spirit Airlines\u00a0noted on its website that it was waiving modification charges and fare differences through Jan. 3, for more than a dozen cities, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.<\/p>\n<h2>Low-cost Airline Faces Disaster with Tens Of Thousand of Cancellations<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\">Southwest had canceled a total of more than 14,500 flights since Dec. 23,\u00a0as it struggled to manage its operations in the midst of severe winter weather.<\/p>\n<p>According to FlightAware, another 2,500 flights were cancelled on December 28, which is approximately 62 percent of the planned departures.<\/p>\n<p>Worse, many passengers claimed that they were separated from their luggage by cancelled flights. Others complained that their bags had been lost by the airline.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the airline has promised to assist any affected travelers who apply for refunds or request reimbursements for their lost baggage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\">Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, announced that the airline will run a reduced schedule over the next few days, in order to reposition its staff and planes\u00a0and posted a video apology for customers and employees, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/southwest-airlines-lost-luggage-bags-cancellations-11672168712?mod=article_inline\">reported The Wall Street Journal.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have some real work to do in making this right. For now, I want you to know that we\u2019re committed to that,\u201d Jordan.<\/p>\n<p>After these days of operational failure, the CEO stated that it was necessary to upgrade the company&#8217;s legacy systems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re focused on safely getting all the pieces back into position to end this rolling struggle,\u201d Jordan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClearly we need to double down on our already existing plans to upgrade systems for these extreme circumstances so we never again face what\u2019s happening right now,\u201d He concluded.<\/p>\n<p>According to The Wall Street Journal Jordan said that Jordan had told reporters in November that the airline had expanded beyond what its technology could handle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\">\u201cWe\u2019ve talked a little over the last year about the need to modernize the operation and invest,\u201d This week&#8217;s memo from the CEO stated that. \u201cthis is why.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Casey Murray, president, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/southwest-cancels-thousands-more-us-flights-weather-stays-bitter-2022-12-27\/\">told Reuters<\/a>\u00a0That\u00a0\u201cSouthwest is using outdated technology and processes, really from the \u201990s, that can\u2019t keep up with the network complexity today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Andrew Watterson, Southwest Chief Operating Officer, stated to employees that he is optimistic the airline can ramp up again by December 30. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/southwest-airlines-melting-down-flights-cancelled-11672257523?mod=article_inline\">reported The Wall Street Journal.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Congress and Biden Administration Want Answers<\/h2>\n<p>Vice President Joe Biden declared that his administration would make sure airlines are protected \u201cheld accountable,\u201d In a statement<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg stated that Southwest Airlines would be held accountable for travel disruptions. The continued cancellations indicated a serious system failure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__large__nEccO body__full_width__ekUdw body__large_body__FV5_X article-body__element__2p5pI\">\u201cWe are past the point where they could say this is a weather-driven issue,\u201d Buttigieg <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3GnqaYO\">told\u00a0ABC News\u2019 Good Morning America in an interview.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__large__nEccO body__full_width__ekUdw body__large_body__FV5_X article-body__element__2p5pI\">\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, all of this began with that severe storm. We saw winter weather affecting the country and severely disrupting all airlines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo what this indicates is a system failure and they need to make sure that these stranded passengers get to where they need to go and that they are provided adequate compensation, not just for the flights itself \u2026 but also things like hotels, like ground transportation, like meals because this is the airlines\u2019 responsibility,\u201d Buttigieg resigned.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__large__nEccO body__full_width__ekUdw body__large_body__FV5_X article-body__element__2p5pI\">He pointed out that Southwest was not the only airline to have reacted to the weather disruptions.<\/p>\n<p>The Transportation Department <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USDOT\/status\/1607863512671584256\">posted on Twitter<\/a> The secretary had spoken to Jordanian and airline union leaders earlier in the week.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Sen.\u00a0Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), stated that the Senate Commerce Committee would soon be investigating the airline\u2019s flight disruptions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__large__nEccO body__full_width__ekUdw body__large_body__FV5_X article-body__element__2p5pI\">Rep. Rick Larsen (D. Wash.), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepRickLarsen\/status\/1607915666597679104\">posted on Twitter<\/a> Southwest was deemed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-flight-cancellations\">flight cancellations<\/a> As of Dec. 24, \u201ccontrollable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__large__nEccO body__full_width__ekUdw body__large_body__FV5_X article-body__element__2p5pI\">This would require the airline to reimburse customers for any incidental expenses, and complete refunds for airfares.<\/p>\n<p><em>This report was compiled by Reuters<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"author_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"one_author_block round\">\n<div class=\"top_row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/author-bryan-jung\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ttl7daySGw_WEB_BrianJung.jpg\" alt=\"Bryan Jung\"   style=\"display:none\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>Bryan S. Jung, a New York City native and resident, has a background in politics as well as the legal industry. He graduated from Binghamton University.\n<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the wake Southwest Airlines\u2019 cancellation disaster over the past week, some competitors are filling in to assist its stranded customers at the end of the holiday travel season. Rival carriers have been capped airfares Southwest customers booked last minute domestic flights at several key airports after the airline cancelled thousands of departures. Airlines across &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1695376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[6327,5458,6124,8021,12540,4289,5888,3819,8671,7374],"class_list":["post-1790676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-airlines","tag-bongino","tag-cancellation","tag-cap","tag-fares","tag-flight","tag-meltdown","tag-report","tag-rival","tag-southwest"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1790676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1695376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1790676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1790676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1790676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}