Senator Ed Markey is demanding that Southwest Airlines compensate passengers whose flights have been canceled over the last week. Southwest canceled over 70 percent of its flights on Monday, with 60 percent of its flights called off yesterday.
“Southwest Airlines is failing consumers during the most important travel week of the year. Instead of a holiday spent celebrating with family and friends, passengers are sleeping in airports or desperately trying to reach customer service agents. For those travelers whose holidays have been ruined, there is no real way for Southwest to make this right. But the company can start by fairly compensating passengers whose flights were canceled, including not only rebooked tickets, ticket refunds, and hotel, meal, and transportation reimbursement, but significant monetary compensation for the disruption to their holiday plans. Southwest is planning to issue a $428 million dividend next year – the company can afford to do right by the consumers it has harmed. Southwest should focus first on its customers stranded at airports and stuck on interminable hold.
Markey is calling on Southwest to offer refunds, new free tickets, hotel and meal reimbursement and compensation to passengers.
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