Southwest cancels more than a thousand flights, cites air-traffic control issues

Southwest Airlines canceled additional than 1,000 flights this weekend amid air site visitors control problems and weather, and the airline has not presented an update as to regardless of whether the cancellations might continue.

“ATC challenges and disruptive climate have resulted in a significant volume of cancellations throughout the weekend when we work to recover our procedure,” Southwest stated in a assertion on Twitter Saturday. “We value your patience as we accommodate impacted clients, and purchaser services wait around times are more time than common.”

In accordance to FlightAware, a website that tracks cancellations and delays, Southwest has canceled 1,018 flights and experienced 597 flights delayed on Sunday alone. On Saturday, the airline canceled 808 flights and had 1,187 flights delayed. 

Southwest gave FOX Company a lengthier statement on Sunday afternoon. 

“We knowledgeable temperature issues in our Florida airports at the beginning of the weekend, problems that have been compounded by unpredicted air targeted visitors management problems in the exact same region, triggering delays and prompting considerable cancellations for us beginning Friday night,” the spokesperson advised FOX Company.

“We’ve ongoing diligent perform all over the weekend to reset our procedure with a target on getting aircraft and crews repositioned to acquire care of our customers,” the spokesperson additional. “With fewer frequencies concerning metropolitan areas in our recent agenda, recovering in the course of operational issues is far more difficult and extended. We’re performing diligently to accommodate our consumers as promptly as feasible, and we are grateful for their persistence.”

“We’re giving customers added overall flexibility to explore self-support rebooking alternatives on Southwest.com, where by they can get updates on the standing of their vacation. We know the disappointment flight cancellations are making for our prospects and personnel and we apologize, and we all over again thank all people for their tolerance as we get the job done to start with to be protected, and 2nd to be as brief as attainable in solving disrupted strategies,” the spokesperson concluded.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson stated that the air-website traffic management challenges finished on Friday.

“No FAA air targeted traffic staffing shortages have been documented because Friday,” an FAA spokesperson informed FOX Business enterprise in a statement on Sunday. “Flight delays and cancellations happened for a couple hours Friday afternoon due to widespread intense weather conditions, armed service education and restricted staffing in one particular region of the Jacksonville Air Route Site visitors Control Heart.”

“Some airlines carry on to working experience scheduling troubles thanks to plane and crews being out of area. Be sure to speak to the airlines for aspects about current flight schedules,” the spokesperson extra.

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The Southwest Airways Pilots Affiliation, which submitted a movement for a temporary restraining get towards the airline’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, issued a assertion clarifying that it experienced no link to the cancellations and delays.

“SWAPA is informed of operational difficulties influencing Southwest Airlines nowadays owing to a quantity of difficulties, but we can say with self confidence that our Pilots are not collaborating in any official or unofficial career actions,” the group said in a assertion Saturday. “Our Pilots will go on to overcome SWA management’s bad setting up, as effectively as any external operational challenges, and continue to be the most successful Pilots in the globe.”

FOX Small business also arrived at out to the two airports most impacted on Sunday — Denver Intercontinental Airport and Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Worldwide Airport. DIA did not reply, though BWI referred FOX Enterprise to Southwest.

Lots of customers expressed aggravation, with some stating that Southwest ruined their weekends. 

“Thanks Southwest for ruining my weekend to see my granddaughter for the 1st time,” Michael Meister, visible strategist at The Arizona Republic, tweeted at Southwest. 

Twitter screenshot. (Twitter)

“We’re missing our daughters [sic] faculty sport due to the fact you wrestle to be the dependable airways you use [sic] to be,” Brian Staab tweeted. “Over 2 hour wait periods with buyer support no on the net options/options. Southwest to Southlate to simply do not bother.” He included that he experienced “no decision but to terminate and overlook the party.”

Kate Peifer advised a specially harrowing tale. She reported that she “gained a notification in the middle of the night time that the 2nd fifty percent of our flight (which leaves in 120 minutes) is canceled. It is 120 minute wait to get ahold of an individual and we just can’t modify flights on the internet. Not a excellent way to conclusion our to start with journey to see family members.”

She also posted a online video demonstrating “1 of only two lines in LaGuardia airport that are lengthier than 45 minutes to see client support. No boarding passes are printing for anybody in the airport,” she noted.

FOX Business’ Grady Trimble contributed to this report.