Southwest Airlines executive apologizes for December meltdown: 'Let me be clear, we messed up'
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSDFW.COM) – A Southwest Airlines executive was on the hot seat on Capitol Hill Thursday about the airline's operational meltdown around Christmas that cancelled 16,700 flights and left tens of thousands of customers stranded and without a chance to spend time with their families.
During a hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee, the Dallas-based carrier's Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Watterson, heard an earful from U.S. Senators.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois said, "What happened over Christmas was appalling."
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas described it as "an epic screw up."
Captain Casey Murray, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association President, criticized the airline too. "It was a failure epically, from top to bottom."
At the hearing, Watterson apologized twice. "Let me be clear, we messed up."
Pilots and flight attendants have said the airline's crew scheduling software became overwhelmed by all the flight cancellations, meaning they couldn't match crews to their planes.
Murray said, "The pilots have been sounding the alarm bells for over a decade. We've been whistle-blowing on this. We've seen these meltdowns occur with more frequency and more severity."
Watterson told Senators Southwest is spending $1.3 billion, about 25% more than in 2019, to upgrade its technology, including its crew scheduling software. "Tomorrow, the fix will go in and will be live in our production system."
He also said the airline's infrastructure was inadequate to handle winter weather, and that they're doing a top to bottom review that should be completed by next month. "We need more infrastructure at airports for de-icing, we need more de-icing trucks, we need new technology systems with de-icing, we need to weatherize our ground support equipment."
Watterson said it will cost the airline "millions and millions of dollars."
Cruz warned against imposing new government rules. "Instead of rushing to regulate prices and how many drink coupons people should get, the Biden Department of Transportation should instead let the flying public vote with their feet."
An airline spokesman told CBS 11 that it's paid out 99% of its customers' claims for reimbursements for new flights, hotels, car rentals, clothing, and meals.
Meg Wilkerson was among those impacted by the meltdown.
She said the airline returned their luggage and reimbursed them $6,000, and that they're waiting to be paid another $1,000 in expenses. "Southwest did come back, did do the right things, so we will be flying Southwest again."
Southwest has previously said the operational meltdown will cost as much as $825 million in lost revenue and compensation to customers.