{"id":1794430,"date":"2023-01-04T06:50:55","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T11:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1794430"},"modified":"2023-01-04T06:51:04","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T11:51:04","slug":"evidence-suggests-buttigieg-and-southwest-were-aware-of-problems-before-christmas-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/evidence-suggests-buttigieg-and-southwest-were-aware-of-problems-before-christmas-meltdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Evidence suggests that Buttigieg &#038; Southwest were aware of problems before Christmas meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/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%2Fevidence-suggests-buttigieg-and-southwest-were-aware-of-problems-before-christmas-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=1794430&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><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-southwest-airlines\">Southwest Airlines<\/a> The winter weather and Department of Transportation secretary were blamed for the massive flight cancellations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-pete-buttigieg\">Pete Buttigieg<\/a> They have promised to hold them responsible, but data from earlier this year suggests that both sides were aware of possible transportation and computer problems prior to they occurred.<\/p>\n<p>The National Association of Attorneys General mailed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneygeneral.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2022-08-31-Airline-Accountability-and-Increased-Consumer-Protection.pdf\">letter<\/a>\u00a0August 20, 2222: To leaders in Congress, warning that they have received thousands of complaints to the offices state attorneys general all across the nation \u201coutraged airline passengers about airline customer service.\u201d The letter claimed that the Department of Transporation, (DOT), had received the letter \u201cfailed to respond\u201d Several thousand complaints have been received regarding various airlines. The DOT has been accused of being unresponsive. \u201cunable or unwilling\u201d To hold companies responsible.<\/p>\n<p>Among the complaints were passengers\u2019 frustrations about consistent failures to provide credits to those who lost travel opportunities, despite requirements that the companies do so.<\/p>\n<p>The letter stated that \u201cfederal law places the central responsibility for addressing violations of airline consumer protection with the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT),\u201d Despite law enforcement offices forwarding complaints, the DOT had at that point \u201cfailed to respond and to provide appropriate recourse in those cases.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the attorneys general both Republican presidents and Democrat presidents are guilty of a crime. \u201cfailed to spur the US DOT to act in a manner that responds effectively to consumer complaints,\u201d Saying that lack of action \u201cthis vacuum of oversight allows airlines to mistreat consumers and leaves consumers without effective redress [and] decreased levels of competition, the ability of the marketplace to punish or reward industry behavior that harms or helps consumers is lessened, increasing the importance of effective enforcement of consumer protection requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 38 attorneys general signed the letter just before Buttigieg. <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/6FlD6fHq8-g\">appeared<\/a> On national television, to promise that travel conditions would improve by the holidays: Buttigieg made a September appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6FlD6fHq8-g&#038;t=145s\">said<\/a>\u00a0airline travel \u201cis going to get better by the holidays.\u201d He also said that \u201cwe\u2019re really pressing the airlines to deliver better service.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg also received an <a href=\"https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/letter_from_ny_ag_letitia_james_to_secretary_pete_buttigieg_8.2.2022.pdf\">letter<\/a> Letitia James, a New York Attorney General, alerted him to the fact that he was a Democrat. \u201cthe deeply troubling and escalating pattern of airlines delaying and canceling flights,\u201d Particularly during holidays. She also included a list with possible steps he could take to end the behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Southwest Airlines addressed The Epoch Times&#8217; inquiry about their service schedule in response to the interruption of service. This resulted in more 12,000 cancelled flights. \u201ccurrent challenges created by Winter Storm Elliott.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, Bob Jordan, the airline CEO, stated in a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/swamedia.com\/releases\/release-7e05ea1637937dc7354128bee7a3fc35-ceo-bob-jordan-looks-forward-after-normal-operations-resume\">press release<\/a> The company believes it can serve customers better by implementing its policies. \u201cplans to invest in tools and technology and processes.\u201d Jordan said, \u201cOne of our five-year strategic plan priorities established in 2021 is to modernize the operation, along with a 2022 company focus area of getting back to our historic operational reliability and efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Questions have arisen about why these upgrades weren\u2019t already in place, considering that Southwest received $7.2 billion in federal subsidies for payroll and operations since 2020, according to OpenTheBooks.com. Recently, the airline announced that it will pay stockholders a quarterly dividend at an annual cost to $7.2 billion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/aerospace-defense\/southwest-airlines-reinstates-quarterly-dividend-2022-12-07\/\">$428 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The declaration was made by the business just a few days following its CEO&#8217;s announcement. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/business\/airlines\/2022\/02\/07\/southwest-airlines-new-ceo-bob-jordan-gets-pay-raise-increased-bonus-potential\/\">$9 million<\/a> annually, <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2022\/12\/28\/southwest-airlines-ceo-bob-jordan-behind-on-software-modernization-canceled-flights\/\">acknowledged<\/a> The airline was slow to update its website. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/12\/27\/1145616523\/southwest-airlines-flight-cancellations-2022\">computer and scheduling systems<\/a>. According to Southwest employees, this failure was responsible for the holiday travel disaster. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/southwest-says-scheduling-system-played-a-role-in-flight-meldown-2022-12\">attributed<\/a> the chaos to the company\u2019s \u201coutdated technology.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following the company\u2019s massive failure, Buttigieg posted a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecretaryPete\/status\/1608598972192657409?s=20&#038;t=WEleKfrNETHvoNtYmUyllA\">video<\/a> Speaking to travelers late Dec. 29, I said they were getting \u201cthousands\u201d There have been many complaints from passengers who were stranded due to the \u201coperational meltdown\u201d Southwest Airlines<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re one of those passengers, there\u2019s something I want you to know, which is that the U.S. Department of Transportation has your back. I\u2019m disappointed that Southwest has not done more to proactively communicate with passengers the ways they\u2019re going to take care of you, so I want to make sure you know some of the ways that you\u2019re owed compensation if you have been in this situation since Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n<p>The transportation secretary went on to say that passengers are not only owed refunds if they chose not to travel after their flights were canceled, but also to be compensated if the travelers had to book with another airline, find ground transportation, or invest in basic necessities like food, if they were delayed due to a situation under Southwest\u2019s control.<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg pointed travelers to the Department of Transportation\u2019s Consumer Complaint <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportation.gov\/airconsumer\/file-consumer-complaint\">page<\/a> If an airline refuses to pay customers compensation, it is possible to file a complaint. In a letter that Fox News&#8217; Peter Doocy obtained, he also called out the airline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo amount of financial compensation can fully make up for passengers who missed moments with their families that they can never get back\u2014Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and other special events,\u201d Buttigieg <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxbusiness.com\/markets\/pete-buttigieg-calls-out-southwest-airlines-letter-lays-out-priorities\">said<\/a> in the letter to Southwest\u2019s CEO. \u201cThat\u2019s why it is so critical for Southwest to begin by reimbursing passengers for those costs that can be measured in dollars [and] cents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The video he posted did not refer to the August letter sent by the attorneys general, nor the Dec. 19 second letter signed and signed by 34 general attorneys. The second letter, which was spearheaded by Colorado\u2019s Democrat Attorney General Phil Weiser, pleaded with Buttigieg to \u201cimpose significant fines for cancellations and extended delays that are not weather-related or otherwise unavoidable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Epoch Times reached out to The Department of Transportation but they did not respond before press time.<\/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-savannah-pointer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/default-user.png\" alt=\"Savannah Pointer\"   style=\"display:none\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Southwest Airlines The winter weather and Department of Transportation secretary were blamed for the massive flight cancellations. Pete Buttigieg They have promised to hold them responsible, but data from earlier this year suggests that both sides were aware of possible transportation and computer problems prior to they occurred. The National Association of Attorneys General mailed &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1899630,"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":[13142,5458,4943,6922,4913,5888,3819,7374,4774],"class_list":["post-1794430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-aware","tag-bongino","tag-buttigieg","tag-christmas","tag-evidence","tag-meltdown","tag-report","tag-southwest","tag-suggests"],"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\/1794430","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=1794430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1794430\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1899630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1794430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1794430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1794430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}