Over the weekend and lasting into Monday, Southwest Airlines canceled a substantial number of flights.
Between the three days, the airline cancelled more than 2,000 flights. Just what are things looking like now? We’ve got a bit of an update.
Thus far, on October 12th, Southwest has only cancelled 87 flights, or 2% of their schedule, according to CNBC. CNBC notes that this could be a sign that Southwest is “stabilizing its operation” after the substantial number of flight delays and cancellations that took place over the weekend.
Southwest reported that bad weather and air traffic control problems in Florida started the issues, which were then made worse by staffing shortages.
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly recently told CNBC, “When an airline gets behind, it’s really hard to catch up.”
The airline had already scaled back their fall schedule due to disruptions that occurred during the summer. Southwest’s chief operating officer who was recently promoted to president, Mike Van de Ven, reportedly “told staff on Sunday that it could cut its schedule further and that it is trying to build a ‘staffing cushion.'”
For now, it seems that fewer cancellations are being made. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more updates.
Keep following DFB for more travel updates as you plan your next vacation.
Click Here to Learn More About Southwest’s Cancellations.
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
What’s your favorite way to get to Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
Vicky says
Flying southwest for the holidays at Disney so we’re all ears because this won’t stop our trip, we will drive if we have to!
MamaZ says
The airlines always blames the ATCs for delays and cancelations I can tell you they always work and most of the time shorthanded. Don’t ask you don’t want to know. It is the airlines fault. They schedule so many flights and the ATC on position has to allow a certain distance between take offs and arrivals. There is only 24 hours in a day. Think it.
Pris says
Still keeping our collective fingers crossed our flt will still happen this Sunday. Have had this trip planned since March!
Sue Y says
Rumor has it that pilots walked out over the airline’s vaccine mandate. Not the airports fault at all.
Jacqueline says
I heard pilots walked out because of the vaccine mandate.