At least 2,877 flights which are operated by Southwest Airlines were canceled today, Monday, December 26, 2022 — which is approximately 70 percent of the entire flight schedule of the airline — and almost 700 additional flights were delayed.
Travel Alert December 2022: Avoid Southwest Airlines At This Time.
Among the travel alerts which were listed in this article here at The Gate pertaining to the recent spate of historic winter weather this past week was one from Southwest Airlines that was never posted before at The Gate in its history of 16.5 years:
Southwest Airlines has issued travel alerts for all airports which the airline serves throughout its system through Tuesday, December 27, 2022; and Tuesday, January 10, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
That was a key indicator that more was wrong with the operations of the airline than just weather.
Unlike with other airlines that have experienced their share of irregular operations due to the weather, the disruptions in the flight schedule of Southwest Airlines are a result of both the lingering effects of the winter storms and problems with connecting members of flight crews to their schedules, as that issue resulted in difficulty for employees of the airline to access crew scheduling services and get reassignments.
The airline hopes to stabilize and improve its operation with more favorable weather conditions that are forecast to arrive later this week. In the meantime, travel advisories are currently in effect systemwide for:
- Irregular Operations through Monday, January 2, 2023; and Monday, January 16, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- High Call Volumes and Busy Signals — Due to the very high demand from the winter weather, hold times are currently averaging greater than two hours and have been as high as four hours.
Southwest Airlines is the fourth largest airline in the United States; but the airline actually is the largest carrier in the United States in terms of domestic flights…
…and as a result of all of those cancellations and delays, thousands of passengers and their luggage are delayed or stranded all over the United States — some of them for as many as five days — as illustrated by the torrent of content which has been posted on various channels of social media by passengers who were affected or impacted by the irregular operations:
I’ve never seen anything like this. This line is just to CHECK A BAG for Southwest passengers only. Hartsfield-Jackson is already wildin’ out before 5 a.m. Just wait until you see the security lines…. @ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/Fq1OQVlQCm
— Rob Hughes (@robhughes_) December 22, 2022
The lines at the Southwest counter this morning at Denver International Airport. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/JRge5aGlx0
— Brandon Richard (@BrandonLRichard) December 24, 2022
@SouthwestAir could I have someone reach out to me? I drove to SD to fly out and all the flights for canceled. I'm stranded here now. This line is ridiculous. My calls aren't going through to CustService #Southwestair #Southwestairlines #lovefield #Southwest pic.twitter.com/y2E4LsfM8h
— Andrew (@WatchAndrew) December 25, 2022
The crowd at baggage claim & the customer service line for Southwest Airlines at Reagan National are insane! The airline is having a meltdown & people are being told it could be days before they get to their destinations. Southwest blames lingering storm impacts. #aviation pic.twitter.com/zsmf9xhFlo
— Tom Roussey (@tomroussey7news) December 26, 2022
AIRPORT MAYHEM: This is the @SouthwestAir cancellation line @AUStinAirport.
Hundreds of people are waiting to try to talk with someone at the Southwest counter. You can also see the hundreds of bags in baggage claim. @fox7austin pic.twitter.com/Qv8B5LYFUr
— Meredith Aldis (@MeredithonFOX7) December 26, 2022
@SouthwestAir I have missed Christmas with my family after several delays and cancellations and I am now stranded at the Kansas City airport. Almost all of the flights for southwest have been canceled with hardly any explanation or anyone at the gates. This is baggage claim pic.twitter.com/Gzhtfca5Hy
— Caroline “Flynn” (@ceaflynn) December 26, 2022
Direct quote from the baggage claim lady with southwest today “There is absolutely no organization here whatsoever. Find your own bags.” No exaggeration there were 9,000 bags.
🖕🏼 you too @SouthwestAir 🙃😂 https://t.co/MFcNswxV94
— Mikkaela Randall (@Mikky_Kayla) December 26, 2022
Total collapse of Southwest Airlines in Oakland, California. I fly a lot and never seen anything like this. Every flight is cancelled/“delayed”. My flight to Phoenix was canceled because “the crew didn’t show up” pic.twitter.com/rJxbnyCf7w
— Mike Bolen | Real Estate Investor (@mikebolen) December 26, 2022
If you’re flying Southwest the next two weeks or so I would seriously reconsider. Airline is in near meltdown mode almost system wide. https://t.co/mFWVb9wnZm
— Don Champion (@DonChampionTV) December 26, 2022
https://twitter.com/miahbellile/status/1607401850445369344
@SouthwestAir Southwest Airlines baggage claim at the Hollywood Burbank Airport, CA. pic.twitter.com/n0baH9UGZK
— alvarito (@__alvarovalenc) December 26, 2022
A visual representation of the disaster that is air travel at the moment. A Southwest Airlines rep just said over the intercom that bags are heading to final destination, even if the flight they were scheduled on is cancelled. pic.twitter.com/xV21IX1rcm
— Rob Harris (@robharristv) December 26, 2022
This is what it looks like at Dallas Love Field Airport – Southwest Airlines.
As of right now, 2,675 flights canceled, that’s 66% of flights, according to Flight-aware.
TWU Local 556, representing flight attendants: they’ve been demanding better technology for years now.@wfaa pic.twitter.com/zaJVVbCvkt
— Malini Basu (@MaliniBasu_) December 26, 2022
This is baggage claim at @DENAirport. Customers of @SouthwestAir say line to rebook is 3+ hours long. Some have been stranded for days, unable to get a rental car or hotel. Via FlightAware: 376 cancelled Southwest flights at DEN. The next most is United with 22 cancellations. pic.twitter.com/7fzeSnnYUo
— Courtney Yuen (@courtyuen) December 26, 2022
Major issues at MDW where Southwest Airlines passengers stranded, waiting in line for 5+ hours to talk to the help desk for rebooking. Some say they can’t get a flight out until Friday! pic.twitter.com/7IFuWFOXVk
— Dana Rebik (@DanaRebikWGN) December 26, 2022
Here is the video of the intercom announcement.
Speaker says staffing issues have led to the cancelation of 90% of Sky Harbor Southwest flights. They say they cannot get anyone out for the next 4 days. https://t.co/eULewj44Zm pic.twitter.com/fnlay8sBw5— Michael Doudna (@MichaelDoudna) December 26, 2022
Big mess at BWI this morning. Over 100 flights cancelled so far this morning. People have been waiting in line at the Southwest ticketing counter for hours. Some people tell me they’ve waited since 2:30 this morning. People are sleeping all over the airport. @wbaltv11 pic.twitter.com/DPiIOdWwJG
— Breana Ross (@breanarossWBAL) December 26, 2022
It’s a bag blizzard at Tampa Intl
With so many canceled flights – especially Southwest – hundreds if not thousands of bags are stranded
Passengers have told us these are bags from flights that were canceled or from connection flights that never took off
Absolute nightmare pic.twitter.com/bKMz9Edzoa
— Evan Axelbank Fox13 (@EvanAxelbank) December 26, 2022
Southwest employees are now passing out snacks and water to upset passengers— many who have been stranded for days, several waiting hours/days for their bags. @CBSNewsColorado pic.twitter.com/BdhrY0jrNL
— Marissa Armas (@MarissaArmas) December 26, 2022
@SouthwestAir you guys are the biggest scum bags on the planet. Having people board a plane then waiting on the tarmac until the pilots time out. #southwest #crooks #MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/GNJ6Fbn3Eh
— Hot garbage (@fuegogarbage) December 24, 2022
There is my plane…..but southwest has no one to fly it or help with customers in flight…..but they took my money and my luggage. pic.twitter.com/YbxZ9T2T2N
— Timothy R. Maher (@TimothyRMaher1) December 26, 2022
Southwest: your flight has been cancelled. select a new flight
me: pic.twitter.com/LC4apfOL81
— happy Ni year (@nilamadison) December 22, 2022
Final Boarding Call
Southwest Airlines will not escape or recover from this mess overnight — nor will it emerged with its reputation unscathed, as many customers vowed never to fly as passengers of the airline again after this experience.
Avoid Southwest Airlines at this time for at least the next several days. If you are ticketed as a passenger on the airline this week and next week, monitor the situation and keep yourself updated so that neither you nor your luggage get stranded unnecessarily.
Photograph ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
