There are a few threats to holiday plans right now – COVID-19, the flu and Southwest. Yup – flight cancellations are dashing the dreams of many holiday travelers nearly as fast as all of the upper respiratory viruses going around. CNN reports that thousands of Southwest flights have been delayed and canceled as of Dec. 26, 2022. The U.S. Department of Transportation has plans to investigate whether or not the usually friendly and affordable airline could have prevented the issue. Other airlines have been calling off flights as well, but none at the same rate as Southwest.
It all started with the severe winter storms that swept through several regions including New York, Chicago, and even parts of the Northwest in mid-December. This caused a domino effect that spilled into post-Christmas travel and left thousands stranded. If you are facing a flight cancellation now, here’s what to know.
Don’t Rely On Airline Text/Email Updates
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You might have signed up to receive text or email alerts about your flight status. However, many airlines’ systems are down or slow right now, and those alerts aren’t going out in a timely manner. Some passengers receive their first text alert of a flight being delayed…hours after that flight had already been canceled. Before leaving your home or accommodations, manually check the status of your flight on the airline’s website. The status is (almost) always up to date there. But do not count on personal alerts arriving in a timely manner.
