Southwest Airlines Hit with Record $140 Million Fine for 2022 Holiday Travel Chaos

Southwest Airlines has been fined a record $140 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for its operational meltdown during the 2022 holiday travel season. The fine, about 30 times larger than any previous airline fine, will be used to compensate affected customers. The DOT also ordered Southwest to issue a $75 flight credit to passengers whose arrival is delayed over 3 hours due to the airline's fault. The investigation found that Southwest violated consumer protection laws on customer service, flight-status notifications, and refunds. Southwest said it had learned from the incident and made investments to improve customer service.