Much calmer at PHL after flight cancellations this week
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- Things were much calmer at airports around the country today.
Southwest Airlines said it plans to return to normal operations Friday, just days after it had canceled thousands of flights every day this week after a winter storm last weekend.
Across the country, Southwest reported less than 40 cancellations. While that was still more than United, American and Delta combined, it's progress following one of the most chaotic weeks in aviation history for a single airline.
At Philadelphia International Airport, there were only two canceled Southwest flights, a relief for passengers.
"I had three flights canceled. Canceled on Christmas Eve, two on Christmas Day, I spent from 8 a.m. on Christmas to the 26th at about 2 p.m. at Atlanta's airport," a traveler said.
When he needed help in Atlanta and had to speak to an agent, he said he had Southwest A-list status and was able to speak to an agent quickly by using a priority line.
Others had to wait much longer.
"I saw some of the lines, they were hourslong at the airport, it was crazy," he said.
"I learned that my flight Tuesday had been canceled on Monday," another passenger said. "I felt really lucky that I wasn't in an airport, or I wasn't traveling in between or stranded somewhere. It would have been tougher."
The airline canceled two-thirds of its flights in recent days, including many Southwest flights departing from PHL.
What caused Southwest Airlines disruptions? How are they being addressed?
Southwest initially blamed the disruptions on the winter storm, but now it's pointing to its outdated scheduling technology.
A leader of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association told CBS News the airline's scheduling infrastructure couldn't handle so many changes at once.
"The storm was the catalyst that started this whole event, but the major problem is that our scheduling IT infrastructure is outdated and can't handle the massive cancellations that had to happen that day when the weather event occurred," Michael Santoro, the union's vice president, said Wednesday. "You get this snowball effect where it can't keep track of where pilots are, flight attendants are and airplanes are."
He later added: "We've had a meltdown once or twice a year for the past several years."
A statement from the pilots' union blamed "shortcomings in adapting, innovating and safeguarding our operations" that "led to repeated system disruptions, countless disappointed passengers, and millions in lost profits."
Federal regulators have vowed a rigorous review of what happened at Southwest, with all eyes on outdated crew-scheduling technology that left flight crews out of place after the storm hit, essentially shutting down almost all of the carrier's operations.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a letter to Southwest CEO Robert Jordan late Thursday called the week of disruptions "unacceptable."
The airline said it will refund all canceled flights and urged customers to submit refund and reimbursement requests for meals, hotel, and alternate transportation.
Travelers impacted by the disruption can request a refund on Southwest's website. Reimbursements for hotels, meals and other expenses can also be requested at that link. The airline is also waiving rebooking fees through Jan. 2, 2023.