Southwest hit by record $140 million fine for holiday service meltdown in 2022

Southwest Airlines is confronted with an historic $140 million fine imposed by the federal government due to a 10-day-long holiday service disruption last year that left more than 2 million travelers stranded. The Department of Transportation’s recent announcement of this substantial civil penalty, marking its largest-ever, comes roughly a year after Southwest’s operational issues led to the cancellation of nearly 17,000 flights, affecting nearly half of the airline’s holiday flight schedule. The fine is a consequence of numerous violations of consumer protection laws, encompassing shortcomings in passenger communication, inadequate customer service, and delays in promptly refunding passengers in the aftermath of the operational failures.