Transportation Division probe will take a look at whether or not Southwest overscheduled flights

The U.S. Division of Transportation is within the preliminary phases of an investigation into Southwest Airways’ journey meltdown, and the company will take a look at whether or not executives overscheduled flights, a spokesperson mentioned.

Southwest canceled 1000’s of flights, slashing round two-thirds of its day by day schedule, for days because it struggled to recuperate from winter climate whilst different airways did. Passengers have been left stranded and scrambling to search out different methods to get house.

The Division of Transportation is “probing whether or not Southwest executives engaged in unrealistic scheduling of flights which beneath federal legislation is taken into account an unfair and misleading observe,” the company spokesperson mentioned.

Southwest Airways didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Wednesday night.

The DOT mentioned it was additionally guaranteeing Southwest was offering refunds and reimbursements to passengers.

“DOT will leverage the complete extent of its investigative and enforcement energy to make sure shoppers are protected and this course of will proceed to evolve because the Division learns extra,” the division spokesperson mentioned Wednesday.

The cancellations, which got here after the Christmas vacation, infuriated passengers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg referred to as the cancellations unacceptable and mentioned his division would take a look at its scheduling system.

Southwest canceled an estimated 11,000 flights within the week after Christmas, and the airline has pinned the price of the fiasco at upward of $800 million.