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The pandemic is to blame for the many job cuts and lack of workers, but unfortunately this has impacted airlines as well. Many airlines are struggling with inadequate staffing, but Southwest Airlines seems to be getting the worst of it. Southwest has canceled thousands of flights over the weekend and into Monday. This has caused major delays for passengers and brings up questions of how long this will continue to happen and what the repercussions will be.
Southwest has claimed that a number of issues caused weekend cancelations, such as bad weather and a brief problem at the Air Traffic Control center in Jacksonville, Florida. However, issues, such as these are minimal and easy to contain at other airlines. With more questions raised, Southwest has had to admit that the main reason for this chaos was because the airline does not have adequate staffing.
So, before you book a flight this week for vacation or a business meeting, be prepared for the possibility of flight cancelations. Make sure to check on all the airlines flights cancelations policies because you may have issues with getting a refund or other accommodations.
Sadly, beyond rebooking a passenger or issuing a refund, airlines are not obligated to anything else for passengers, even if the next available flight is day or two away. This means you could be stuck sleeping in the airport or you will be forced to find hotel accommodation. This is not only waste of money for passengers, but a waste of time.
These are some things to consider before you book a flight soon. What do you think about the recent flight cancellations, is it worth it to fly right now? Do you think Southwest and other airlines will be able to increase their staff? Let us know what you think in the comments!
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
