PHOENIX – Vacationers at Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport have been left stranded and with out baggage, after Southwest Airways canceled hundreds of flights throughout the nation in the course of the busy vacation season.

The delays come amid a winter storm that has killed dozens of individuals.

Southwest officers say the problems additionally stem from the airline having issues “connecting flight crews to their schedules,” confirming ongoing staffing points.

Vacationers at Sky Harbor may very well be caught in Arizona by the top of the week.

“Canceled as we speak, and…no flights are leaving for 4 days,” stated one flyer at Sky Harbor. 

Many airways had been pressured to cancel flights as a result of climate, however Southwest was by far the chief in canceled flights. About 4,000 home U.S. flights had been canceled Monday, in keeping with the monitoring web site FlightAware, and a pair of,900 of these had been Southwest’s.

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Different main airways, together with American, United, Delta and JetBlue, suffered cancelations charges of between none and a pair of%. The cancelation fee at Southwest Airways was 62%, in keeping with FlightAware.

Southwest spokesman Jay McVay stated at a press convention in Houston that cancelations snowballed as storm programs moved throughout the nation, leaving flight crews and planes misplaced.

“So we’ve been chasing our tails, making an attempt to catch up and get again to regular safely, which is our primary precedence as shortly as we might,” he stated. “And that’s precisely how we ended up the place we’re as we speak.”

Southwest Airways CEO releases video assertion following cancellation of hundreds of flights

Greater than 2,800 extra flights had already been canceled within the U.S. as of seven a.m. Tuesday and issues are prone to proceed no less than into Wednesday.

Passengers stood in lengthy traces making an attempt to rebook their flights. The Division of Transportation stated on Twitter that it was “involved by Southwest’s unacceptable fee of cancelations and delays & stories of lack of immediate customer support.” The tweet stated the division would look into whether or not Southwest might have performed something in regards to the cancelations and whether or not the airline was complying with its customer support plan.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan instructed The Wall Avenue Journal in an interview that the airline would function simply over a 3rd of its standard schedule to permit crews to get again to the place they wanted to be.

“We had a troublesome day as we speak. In all probability we’ll have one other powerful day tomorrow as we work our manner out of this,” he stated Monday night. “That is the most important scale occasion that I’ve ever seen.”

Southwest releases assertion

“We anticipate extra modifications with an already lowered degree of flights as we strategy the approaching New 12 months vacation journey interval.

Moreover, with consecutive days of maximum winter climate throughout our community behind us, persevering with challenges are impacting our Clients and Workers in a major manner that’s unacceptable. And our heartfelt apologies for this are simply starting.

We’re working with Security on the forefront to urgently tackle wide-scale disruption by rebalancing the airline and repositioning Crews and our fleet finally to greatest serve all who plan to journey with us.

We had been absolutely staffed and ready for the approaching vacation weekend when the extreme climate swept throughout the continent, the place Southwest is the most important service in 23 of the highest 25 journey markets within the U.S. This pressured every day modifications to our flight schedule at a quantity and magnitude that also has the instruments our groups use to recuperate the airline working at capability.

This safety-first work is intentional, ongoing, and essential to return to regular reliability, one which minimizes last-minute inconveniences. We anticipate extra modifications with an already lowered degree of flights as we strategy the approaching New 12 months vacation journey interval. And we’re working to achieve to Clients whose journey plans will change with particular data and their out there choices.

Our Workers and Crews scheduled to work this vacation season are displaying up in each single manner. We’re past grateful for that. Our shared aim is to maintain each single Buyer with the Hospitality and Coronary heart for which we’re recognized.
On the opposite aspect of this, we’ll work to make issues proper for these we’ve let down, together with our Workers.

With no concern increased than final Security, the Individuals of Southwest share a aim to maintain every Buyer. We acknowledge falling quick and sincerely apologize.”

Pilots, flight attendants blame outdated expertise: ‘Preventable’

The president of the union representing Southwest pilots blamed the dearth of crews to fly planes on scheduling software program written within the Nineties and on administration that he stated failed to make things better after earlier meltdowns, together with a serious disruption in October 2021.

“There’s plenty of frustration as a result of that is so preventable,” stated the union official, Capt. Casey Murray. “The airline can not join crews to airplanes. I’m involved about this weekend. I’m involved a few month from now.”

TWU Native 556, a union of greater than 18,000 Southwest flight attendants, stated in a press release that the obvious systemwide meltdown stems from “operational failures” and an absence of modernized expertise:

“TWU Native 556 has for years demanded that Southwest Airways search technological options to match its quickly increasing operation. The shortage of expertise has left the airline counting on guide options and private cellphone calls, leaving flight attendants on maintain with Southwest Airways for as much as 17 hours at a time merely to be launched to go residence after their journey, or whereas making an attempt to safe a lodge room or know the place their subsequent journey shall be. 

Whereas reroutes and rescheduling are understood to be part of the job within the airline trade, the large scale of the failure over the previous few days factors to a shirking of accountability over a few years for investing in and implementing expertise that might assist clear up for lots of the points that plague flight attendants and passengers alike.”

Winter Storm Elliott

On Southwest Airways’ web site, officers say Winter Storm Elliott has impacted journey, and {that a} system-wide waiver is in place by Jan. 2, 2023.

Issues at Southwest Airways appeared to snowball after the worst of the storm handed. It canceled greater than 70% of its flights Monday, greater than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it could function simply over a 3rd of its standard schedule within the days forward to permit crews to get again to the place they wanted to be.

American, United, Delta and JetBlue, suffered cancelations charges of between none and a pair of% by Tuesday.

The dimensions and severity of the storm created havoc for airways. Airports had been overwhelmed by intense snowfall and drifts. Airways canceled as many as 20% of their flights Saturday and Sunday and Buffalo Niagara Worldwide Airport, near the epicenter of the storm, stays closed Tuesday.

The flights which were both canceled or delayed at Sky Harbor had been headed to a variety of cities throughout the U.S., together with Los Angeles, Maui, Reno, San Diego, San Francisco, and St. Louis.

“Clients holding any Southwest reservation from Sunday, December 25 by Monday, January 2, could rebook within the unique class of service or journey standby (inside 14 days of their unique date of journey between the unique city-pairs and in accordance with our lodging procedures) with out paying any extra cost,” learn a portion of the web site.

A system-wide waiver is in place by Jan. 2, officers stated.

Because the delays and cancelations mount for Southwest Airways, union officers are talking out.

“From the flight attendant viewpoint, it is the truth that Southwest Airways has not invested sufficient in its technological programs and its technological infrastructure to have the ability to deal with when large cancelations are wanted and required when there’s inclement climate,” stated Lyn Montgomery with the Southwest Airways Flight Attendants Union.

Affected vacationers converse out

As flight delays and cancelations mount for Southwest Airways, these affected are speaking about their ordeal.

“I had to purchase this shirt in St. Louis simply so I might have one thing clear,” stated traveler Winter Sellers. “I’ve been residing in the identical garments, it’s been terrible.”

Sellers lastly arrived into Phoenix, however not due to Southwest. She gave up after 5 days of journey and a number of flight cancelations. 

After her flight from New York to Phoenix become a layover in St. Louis, her dad drove 20 hours to select her up.

“I had two weeks to spend time with my household and my mates, and I spent most of it alone in an airport, like I missed Christmas,” Sellers stated.

As a result of she’s solely 20 years outdated, renting a automobile or shopping for a lodge room wasn’t an choice.

“I don’t know anybody in St. Louis I’m not from there like I used to be stranded, I didn’t know what to do,” she stated.

Southwest has claimed that they’re going to be again to regular operations by Friday, however Sellers says she’s uncertain.

“In all probability not, I really feel like they’re simply too far in to far deep and might’t get out,” she stated.

In the meantime, one other flyer has determined to take it upon herself to assist others.

“I’m simply to assist reunite folks with their baggage if I can,” stated Michelle.

Michelle goes bag to bag texting the cellphone numbers hooked up to them to allow them to know they’re at Sky Harbor.

 “One in every of them remains to be in Florida however she stated no less than one obtained there and one individual is trying round one other terminal,” she stated.

“My flight was canceled in Oakland. Waited for five hours, they usually canceled it. Acquired a flight out of [San Francisco Airport] to Burbank, and drove to Phoenix and since I have been right here for 2 days. Got here right here yesterday at 6:00 a.m., did not go away the airport till 2:00 p.m. as a result of they canceled my flight, they usually had been simply giving delays,” stated Megan Faszer.

“Our flight was initially 8:40 [a.m.],” stated Rebecca Romero. “By 11:40 [a.m.], they determined to cancel it.”

Romero and her household shall be staying with their household within the Phoenix space till they make the brand new flight Southwest Airways assigned them. That flight is scheduled to take off on Dec. 30.

By Dec. 28, some vacationers have managed to board their planes.

“Boarded about an hour in the past, and we in all probability received’t be taking off right here for an additional half-hour, I imagine. I’ve an empty seat subsequent to me, so it’s not overbooking,” stated one traveler.

Amid all of the delays and cancelations, the quantity of baggage that made it to Sky Harbor with out their house owners is overwhelming, and there are lengthy traces of individuals on the customer support line who’re nonetheless in search of their luggage.

For some, their misplaced suitcases might grow to be a matter of life or demise.

“We had checked their walker in addition to their medicines and their CPAP,” stated Thomas Jones of Chandler. “My dad obtained up in the midst of the night time to make use of the restroom, and he fell. Broke his hip. Needed to have hip surgical procedure on Christmas morning, and he’s now in a hospital over in Mesa.”

American Airways says it can cap fares for some cities amid Southwest’s excessive fee of cancelations

The flight delays additionally affected Arizonans who had been making an attempt to see out-of-state relations. After 4 days, Nick Russo stated he’s giving up on seeing his household in Chicago.

“Stayed in Dallas, rented a automobile, and we will be headed residence to Phoenix [on Dec. 27],” stated Russo. “We did not get to see our household on Christmas. There have been lots of people that did not get to see their household on Christmas. That is sort of unlucky, but it surely’s simply sort of the entire circus that they ran you thru.”

Russo lastly returned to Phoenix on Dec. 27.

“We needed to exit and purchase new garments and a brand new automobile seat for our daughter to drive again. It’s a must to spend cash on a rental automobile. There have been plenty of issues that simply had been very inconvenient, and value lots of people money and time,” stated Russo.

Demand for rental vehicles soar amid journey woes

Amid mounting flight cancelations, some are turning to rental vehicles as a technique to get residence. There’s a wait of no less than an hour lengthy in Phoenix for rental vehicles.

“They haven’t any flights to get us again residence till subsequent week, so we both need to drive, or we’re stranded and we each work, so right here we go,” stated Kerrie Pauly.

In addition to folks making an attempt to select up a rental automobile, some are dropping off their rental automobile. Marcus O’Sullivan drove 11 hours from Dallas with two younger youngsters as a result of their flights had been canceled.

“We simply wished to be residence,” stated O’Sullivan. “Pivoted, obtained a automobile and stated ‘let’s simply do a highway journey, boys.’ Needed to make the most effective of it as a result of it was simply unlucky.”

 The automobile value O’Sullivan $500, however he’s hoping to be reimbursed by Southwest.

My flight is affected! What ought to I do?

Officers with Southwest Airways say they’re experiencing excessive name volumes, and vacationers who do not need plans to journey within the subsequent 72 hours ought to wait to name if they will, or use the airline’s self-service digital instruments.

Officers with Alaska Airways are encouraging vacationers to verify the standing of their flight earlier than heading to the airport.

Additionally Learn: Southwest Airways flight cancellations, system crash

Dwell airline flight cancelation information

https://flightaware.com/stay/cancelled/as we speak/KPHX

Newest Climate

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/climate

Flight standing at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

https://www.skyharbor.com/Outcomes/FlightSearch

Airways serving Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

https://www.skyharbor.com/Flights/Airways

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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