Southwest Faces DOT Lawsuit Over “Chronically Delayed Flights”
Joe Cortez January 15, 2025
U.S. Department of Transportation Building
The agency is accusing the airline of “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers’ travel” on two routes across four states.
Southwest Accused of Chronic Delays From Chicago to Oakland, Baltimore to Cleveland
According to the lawsuit, Southwest is accused of operating two specific “chronically delayed flights.” The first one is between Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and Oakland International Airport (OAK), while the other is between Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). Across the two routes, the Transportation Department alleges Southwest was responsible for 180 flight disruptions between April and August 2022.
A flight is considered “chronically delayed” if flown at least 10 times per month and it arrives more than a half-hour late over 50% of the time. In the case of Southwest, the Transportation Department claims Southwest operated the flights as “chronically delayed” over a span of five consecutive months, and that the carrier was “responsible for more than 90% of the disruptions for the two chronically delayed flights.”
“As part of our commitment to supporting passenger rights and fairness in the market for airline travel, we are suing Southwest Airlines for disrupting passengers’ travel with unlawful chronic flight delays,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “Today’s action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.”
The department also took action against Frontier Airlines, fining the Denver-based carrier $650,000 in civil penalties for “multiple chronically delayed flights.” The carrier will pay half of that to the U.S. Treasury, with the other half suspended if Frontier does not have another chronically delayed flight in the next three years.
Feature image courtesy: kmf164/flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
The DOT announcement leaves more unsaid than stated. Were these chronically-late flights that remained that way for years? Or a scheduling idea that tried to milk one more daily trip out of an airframe, but there was just not quite enough slack left by late in the day and it just didn't work. (The competing announcements make it seem like they gave up and changed the schedule).
Southwest isn't my first, second, or third favorite airline for reasons I won't even try to list. But the press releases I've seen so far make it sound like it was a failed idea hey gave up on, and this might just be a make-an-example fine looking for a place to regulate.
I'm not saying that Southwest is the most punctual airline. They fail to allow enough time between segments and the delays just snowball as the day goes on. But there is a certain advantage to letting the market decide. Rather than Sue, why not pass regulations that require airlines to disclose their statistics. Then customers can decide not to patronize poorly performing airlines. Little or no cost to the taxpayer for this approach.
It is tracked, and when you book a flight the airline shows you the information. Apps like Flightly how you ontime stats for your routes.
Hmmm...will this improve on time stats or remove flight routes? Time will tell!