(CNN) — Southwest Airlines is offering further relief to some customers after last week’s glut of cancellations, while the misplaced baggage fiasco could last for days longer.
On Tuesday, Southwest informed some passengers affected by its Christmas travel slump that they would receive 25,000 frequent flyer bonus points as a “goodwill gesture”.
In an email from the airline to passengers obtained by CNN, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan wrote that “no excuses can undo your experience.”
He said the 25,000 gift points were worth about $300, and the airline told CNN the offer was in addition to refunds and refunds.
“For those who have requested refunds, refunds, and/or are waiting to be reunited with lost bags, these processes are being handled with great urgency and we appreciate your patience,” Jordan wrote.
The airline said the offer is extended to travelers whose flights are canceled or delayed by more than three hours between Christmas Eve and January 2.
Baggage in Limbo
A traveler searches for a suitcase in a baggage storage area for Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport on December 28, 2022.
Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
Meanwhile, it could take up to two full weeks after Southwest Airlines’ schedule collapse begins until some passengers see their bags again.
In an internal memo to workers, obtained by CNN, Jordan says the airline relies on volunteer employees, working alongside those who normally handle baggage, to return lost checked bags to those taken. in his major schedule collapse.
“At our specific stations, we have people who volunteer alongside our amazing ground operations team to help scan and ship bags,” Jordan said in Tuesday’s memo.
He added that Southwest had halved the number of lost bags “since Thursday” and that the airline was “on track to get the majority if all bags are not shipped to our customers later this week.”
He says the southwest is[w]working in a number of ways to expedite the process of reuniting our customers with their baggage,” including partnering with FedEx and moving baggage on Southwest flights as well as those of other competing airlines.
As for the collapse itself and how to avoid it, Jordan told employees, “We owe you those answers.” And said they were “developing an action plan this week”.
Scrutiny and lawsuit against Southwest
The offer and baggage memo come as the airline faces multiple investigations, scrutiny from investors and at least one lawsuit over its cancellation of 15,700 peak-hour flights for holidays.
The lawsuit, initiated by passenger Eric Capdeville, calls the collapse of the airline’s operations an “internally created crisis” and accuses the airline of violating federal law and its agreement with passengers “to provide refunds fast for canceled flights”.
Instead, Capdeville says the airline offered credit for a future flight.
Southwest did not respond in court. In a statement provided to CNN, the airline said it had “no information to provide regarding the ongoing litigation.”
“There are several high priority efforts underway to benefit our customers, including processing refunds for canceled flights, reimbursing customers for expenses incurred as a result of irregular operations,” Southwest’s statement read.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said last week that the Department of Transportation had received “thousands” of traveler complaints against Southwest over the “operational collapse” and warned that the department would “penalize Southwest like we would do for any airline to award potentially tens of thousands of dollars per violation if they fail to meet what is required of them to take care of passengers.
Top image: Southwest Airlines planes at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on Dec. 28, 2022. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
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