The convergence of a massive winter storm, a swarm of holiday travelers and a major airline’s operational collapse has created travel chaos of epic proportions.
Southwest Airlines passengers suffered the worst of it, with the carrier drawing scrutiny from the Transportation Department for a meltdown that caused more than 15,000 canceled flights. The airline admitted to struggles with outdated scheduling systems, and an internal company memo highlighted a worker shortage in Denver.
Across the country, passengers attempting to fly Southwest either gave up on holiday reunions with out-of-town family or made drastic alternatives like driving through the night or paying premiums to rebook through other airlines.
The unluckiest among them were left waiting for hours (or days) with few answers on when or how they could resume their journeys — or where their luggage was waiting.
Here’s what you need to know if your Southwest flight was caught in the fray.
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