Transportation Department issues warning to Southwest Airlines to follow through on promises to passengers

The United States Department of Transport officially alerted Southwest Airlines on Thursday that it will deal with repercussions if it stops working to do right by stranded and troubled travelers.

Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg composed in a letter to Southwest CEO Bob Jordan that authorities will act versus the airline company if it does not follow through on guarantees to repay travelers for alternative transport expenses, in addition to supply meals, hotels, refunds and luggage reunification. The department has the capability to impose fines as a charge.

” It would be an unreasonable and misleading practice not to satisfy this dedication to travelers,” Buttigieg composed, particularly describing alternative travel repayments. “The Department will utilize the max degree of its investigative and enforcement powers to hold Southwest responsible if it stops working to comply with the guarantees made to repay travelers for expenses sustained for alternate transport.”.

Buttigieg made comparable cautions associated with the airline company’s other dedications.

” No quantity of monetary settlement can totally offset travelers who missed out on minutes with their households that they can never ever return– Christmas, birthdays, wedding events, and other unique occasions,” the transport secretary composed. “That’s why it is so crucial for Southwest to start by compensating travelers for those expenses that can be determined in dollars and cents.”.

A Southwest executive stated in a Thursday early morning message to clients that the airline company is making “a promise to do whatever we can and to burn the midnight oil to fix our relationship with you.”.

Southwest did not instantly supply remark to CNN on the letter.

As CNN formerly reported, Buttigieg spoke to Jordan on Tuesday and alerted him that he would hold the airline company responsible after its functional crisis put the Dallas-headquartered business under severe examination.

” Their system actually has actually entirely melted down,” Buttigieg informed CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.

” I explained that our department will be holding them responsible for their duties to clients, both to get them through this circumstance and to make certain that this can’t take place once again.”.

Southwest Airlines stated it’s poised to resume regular schedules on Friday, as the disturbance has actually left numerous countless travelers postponed or stranded.

In a declaration launched Thursday– following another day in which a more 2,300 flights were canceled– Southwest stated it wished for very little interruptions over the New Year’s weekend.

” We are motivated by the development we have actually made to straighten team, their schedules, and our fleet,” it stated. “With another vacation weekend filled with crucial connections for our valued clients and staff members, we aspire to go back to a state of normalcy.”.