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Southwest cancellations, delays frustrate OIA travelers
Most airlines are averaging about a 5% cancellation rate right now. Southwest Airlines is sitting at 70%, and for those who are dealing with Southwest, they aren’t up against an annoying or inconvenient but short delay. Some, like Loretta Moore, could be stranded for up to a week.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said he was "truly sorry" for the flight delays and cancelations that have stranded passengers – and Southwest employees – at airports across the country, including at Orlando International Airport, following a winter storm over the Christmas holiday.
"I want everyone who is dealing with the problems we've been facing, whether you haven't been able to get to where you need to go or you’re one of our heroic Employees caught up in a massive effort to stabilize the airline, to know is that we're doing everything we can to return to a normal operation," he said in a video posted Tuesday night to Southwest's website.
"And please also hear that I'm truly sorry," he said.
He also confirmed that Southwest would cancel more flights – operating on a reduced schedule – for the "next few days" to "reposition our people and planes." He's hopeful that Southwest would be "back on track before next week."
Still, for many passengers stranded at airports, many have had to extend hotel stays, buy flights on other airlines, or rent a car to get back home – all added expenses.
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'We're stuck': Family with wheelchair-bound son stuck in Florida after Southwest flight canceled
A Houston family is stuck in Orlando after their Southwest flight back home was canceled. They are now facing additional mobility issues because they're traveling with and 80-year-old grandfather and their quadriplegic son.
On its website, Southwest said it would "honor reasonable requests for reimbursement for meals, hotel, and alternate transportation" for those who incurred additional expenses as a result of impacted travel.
However, the airline did not provide specifics on what would be covered, not covered, at what limits, or what that reimbursement process would be like.
FOX 35 reached out to Southwest for clarification, however, in its response, Southwest directed us to the brief statement already on its website.
How to submit a flight refund request to Southwest
Southwest said when a flight is canceled, travelers can request a refund for the cost of the unused ticket, which will be issued to the original form of payment. To request a flight refund, travelers can visit Southwest.com, and submit their confirmation number, first name, and last name.
How to submit a reimbursement claim to Southwest
Southwest said people who've incurred additional expenses can submit receipts "for consideration" via a form on its website. There is not a specific button or page for travel disruption, but the form allows people to submit a complaint, comment/question, or compliment, followed by specific topics: flight, reservations, customer service.
People should be prepared with images of receipts for expenses, flight information, and contact information:
- Flight and event date
- Airport
- Flight number
- Confirmation number
- Origin city
- Destination city
"We're sorry if you were inconvenienced by a flight cancellation. Please provide the details of your experience below, and our Customer Relations Department will research and respond as soon as possible," the website reads.
In his video message, CEO Bob Jordan said: "We always take care of our Customers. And we will lean in and go above and beyond as they would expect us to. Teams are working on all of that: processing refunds, proactively reaching out and taking care of Customers who are dealing with costly detours and reroutes, as just a few examples."