Southwest Airlines Cancels Thousands of Flights Due to Winter Storm That Has Already Killed 50 People

Thousands of flights, mostly from Southwest Airlines, have been canceled due to a winter storm that has left thousands of families stranded as of Monday afternoon.

According to CBS News, two-thirds of Southwest Airlines flights have been canceled since Monday afternoon. The airline had the highest number of cancellations overall, with 2,700 flights canceled and an additional 700 were delayed on Monday.

The board at the airline's central hub in Dallas Love Field reportedly showed that every single arrival had been canceled on Monday afternoon. Southwest Airlines already canceled more than 1,600 flights on Sunday and 1,300 each day on Thursday and Friday last week.

The airline is now facing an investigation from the Department of Transportation for the meltdown. In a statement Monday, the department said it was concerned about how many Southwest Airlines flights have been canceled.

It noted that the airline had a "disproportionate and unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays." The department added that Southwest Airlines failed to "properly support customers experiencing a cancellation or delay."

Over 3,000 Flight Cancellations All Over the United States During Christmas Due to Winter Storm

Transportation challenges continued to happen during and after Christmas Day due to a nearly weeklong winter storm. CNN reported that at least 3,181 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled on Christmas Day.

There were also some 6,800 delayed flights, which was unusual as Christmas Day is usually considered a light day for passenger flights. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, considered the busiest airport in the world, had the second most cancellations and delays on Christmas Day.

The airport with the most cancellations was Denver International, which was experiencing above-freezing at 38°F (3°C) in the evening. Harry Reid International in Las Vegas had the third-most cancellations during what CNN calls a "rough week for flying" as a massive winter storm blasted across the U.S.

Winter Storm Death Toll Reaches 50

As thousands of flights were canceled due to dangerous weather, New Yorkers suffered in what the Associated Press called "one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit western New York."

New York has recorded the highest number of deaths from the ferocious winter storm, as 28 people have already died as of writing. More than a dozen deaths have been reported elsewhere, totaling about 50 people killed across the U.S.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz called the blizzard that hit New York "the worst storm probably in our lifetime," as western New York got covered in over nine inches of snow. It has left some people stranded inside their cars for over two days.

President Joe Biden has now offered federal assistance to New York and offered his prayers to the victims' families. According to the Associated Press, many of those who died were found in cars, homes, and snowbanks.

Some also died while trying to shovel snow, while others when emergency personnel could not respond in time to medical crises. The blizzard that hit New York has forced many in the Buffalo area to close groceries and impose driving bans as roads became slippery due to ice.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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