CNBC: Southwest Fined $1.6M For MDW Tarmac Hold
Jan 15, 2015, 12:43 pm
#2
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Corporate reax:
While we are disappointed that the government would seek additional money, after the enormous penalties imposed on Southwest by Mother Nature during the January 2014 winter storms, we nonetheless appreciate the Department of Transportation giving Southwest credit for the substantial and costly remedial steps the airline voluntarily took before this consent order was issued." - Mike Van de Ven, Southwest COO
Jan 15, 2015, 1:43 pm
#3
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Corporate reax:
While we are disappointed that the government would seek additional money, after the enormous penalties imposed on Southwest by Mother Nature during the January 2014 winter storms, we nonetheless appreciate the Department of Transportation giving Southwest credit for the substantial and costly remedial steps the airline voluntarily took before this consent order was issued." - Mike Van de Ven, Southwest COO
While we are disappointed that the government would seek additional money, after the enormous penalties imposed on Southwest by Mother Nature during the January 2014 winter storms, we nonetheless appreciate the Department of Transportation giving Southwest credit for the substantial and costly remedial steps the airline voluntarily took before this consent order was issued." - Mike Van de Ven, Southwest COO
Jan 15, 2015, 1:58 pm
#4
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So much for the claims by the Southwest haters that the Feds allow them to get away with everything and pull strings as necessary to ensure that WN gets what WN wants. 
Obviously I'm a Southwest fan but hopefully this fine will be a kick in the pants to get the operational affairs back in order. The hubris expressed by Southwest management that they can do no wrong really wears thin after a while.
Obviously I'm a Southwest fan but hopefully this fine will be a kick in the pants to get the operational affairs back in order. The hubris expressed by Southwest management that they can do no wrong really wears thin after a while.
Jan 15, 2015, 5:49 pm
#5
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Jan 15, 2015, 6:41 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2009
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I heard this on the news on my way home from work today.
My takeaway from it was Holy Moly.....the fed actually thinks anything up to 3 hours stranded on the tarmac is ok????
Seriously, talk about testing patience. Last time this happened they also imposed the seatbelt requirement and there were ALOT of unhappy pax that needed to us the bathroom.
My takeaway from it was Holy Moly.....the fed actually thinks anything up to 3 hours stranded on the tarmac is ok????
Seriously, talk about testing patience. Last time this happened they also imposed the seatbelt requirement and there were ALOT of unhappy pax that needed to us the bathroom.
Jan 15, 2015, 6:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New England
Posts: 485
I heard this on the news on my way home from work today.
My takeaway from it was Holy Moly.....the fed actually thinks anything up to 3 hours stranded on the tarmac is ok????
Seriously, talk about testing patience. Last time this happened they also imposed the seatbelt requirement and there were ALOT of unhappy pax that needed to us the bathroom.
My takeaway from it was Holy Moly.....the fed actually thinks anything up to 3 hours stranded on the tarmac is ok????
Seriously, talk about testing patience. Last time this happened they also imposed the seatbelt requirement and there were ALOT of unhappy pax that needed to us the bathroom.
Jan 15, 2015, 11:51 pm
#8
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CNBC: Southwest Fined $1.6M For MDW Tarmac Hold
Good to see strict enforcement as that sends the right message to everyone. $100,000 per flight seems pretty steep for 4 hour delay, but that's maybe $700 per passenger? Too bad the money doesn't go to compensate the real victims.
Sorry to see WN spanked as the poster child when historically others have been worse offenders. But I guess they got the message.
Sorry to see WN spanked as the poster child when historically others have been worse offenders. But I guess they got the message.
Jan 16, 2015, 4:30 am
#9
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What a joke. Southwest was 'fined' $1.6 million, but they only have to pay $600,000. :
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...115-story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...115-story.html
Southwest will have to pay just $600,000 of the total fine, according to the order. It was credited for compensation it gave to passengers and $431,000 for improvements it made at 32 airports. And $300,000 of the fine is due only if it violates the order by having more tarmac delays within a year or fails to pay.
Jan 16, 2015, 6:15 am
#10
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Jan 16, 2015, 7:39 am
#11
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Its completely up to DOT discretion. This fine is actually a slap on the wrist. DOT can assess up to $27,500 per passenger as the penalty. They have fined other carriers as well. This was just the biggest by a few hundred thousand. Here is article on $1.1 million on UA from the earlier days of the tarmac delay rules
Jan 16, 2015, 8:55 am
#12
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$600k is a drop in the bucket. The DOT should fine a percentage of that day's revenue if they really want to affect carriers. Or require printed checks to be handed to each deplaning passenger.
This MDW delay was a result of 150 rampers calling off work the same day (union sick-in action). WN failed to respond accordingly and flew their full schedule, with upwards of 30 planes waiting for gates at times. Someone at dispatch obviously did not feel empowered enough to black out MDW to arrivals or to put their own traffic mgmt delays in place upstrean.
This MDW delay was a result of 150 rampers calling off work the same day (union sick-in action). WN failed to respond accordingly and flew their full schedule, with upwards of 30 planes waiting for gates at times. Someone at dispatch obviously did not feel empowered enough to black out MDW to arrivals or to put their own traffic mgmt delays in place upstrean.