(WHTM) — Southwest Airlines plans to offer travel vouchers worth at least $75 to some customers whose flights were canceled or delayed.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that Southwest Airlines is required to pay compensation as part of an agreement reached in 2022 after the “holiday season meltdown that stranded millions of passengers across the United States.” did.
Flyers are entitled to a refund from Southwest if their flight is canceled or delayed within seven days of departure, arrives more than three hours later than scheduled, or is delayed or canceled due to causes within Southwest's control, such as maintenance or staffing. You can receive a LUV voucher.
If a Southwest Airlines flight is delayed or canceled due to factors outside the airline's control, such as weather, passengers will not be eligible to receive additional vouchers. However, in that case, the DOT recently created new rules that will make it easier for passengers to get a quick refund.
“Following the 2022 holiday meltdown, our department held Southwest Airlines accountable, and now the airline is being held accountable for the long delays and cancellations it caused,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. We are being asked to compensate the passengers.” “We are pleased to be able to offer these benefits to our passengers and further demonstrate to the flying public that the Biden-Harris Administration stands behind them.”
Passengers can apply for vouchers through an online form and must be submitted within one year of flight delay/cancellation. Southwest will respond to your email within 30 days of receiving your request form.
Vouchers are transferable and valid for at least one year from the date of issue.
The Department of Transport says it will “closely monitor” the program. An annual report detailing voucher spending for the next three years is submitted each May.
