(Reuters) – The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) said late on Monday it will examine the large number of nL1N33H01Gcanceled and delayed flights in recent days to determine if they were in the airline’s control, calling them “unacceptable.”
Southwest canceled 2,886 flights on Monday, or 70% of scheduled flights, after cancelling 48% on Sunday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. It has also already canceled 60% of its planned Tuesday flights.
Southwest did not immediately comment late on Monday.
“USDOT is concerned by Southwest Airlines’ disproportionate and unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays as well as the failure to properly support customers experiencing a cancellation or delay,” the department said.
It said it would “closely examine whether cancellations were controllable and whether Southwest is complying with its customer service plan as well as all other pertinent DOT rules.”
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Tom Hogue)
