U.S. Gov't Sues Southwest Air, Chronically Delayed Flights

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines on Wednesday for operating flights with constant delays, causing scheduling disruptions for passengers.

The lawsuit seeks maximum civil penalties to hold Southwest accountable for its “chronically delayed” schedules and "unrealistic scheduling practices" that affect travelers across the country.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated, “This lawsuit is about holding Southwest accountable for unlawful delays that disrupt passengers. Airlines must provide realistic flight schedules that reflect actual departure and arrival times.”

Under federal regulations, airlines are prohibited from advertising flight schedules that do not match the actual timeline of their flights. A flight is known as “chronically delayed” if it is delayed more than 30 minutes over half the time and operates at least 10 times a month.

The DOT’s investigation found that Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights for five months in 2022, causing over 180 disruptions.

Southwest was responsible for more than 90% of the delays on these flights, yet failed to adjust the schedule as required by DOT rules.

In addition to the lawsuit against Southwest, the Department of Transportation also announced a $650,000 fine against Frontier Airlines for operating "multiple chronically delayed flights."

Half of the fine will be paid to the U.S. Treasury, while the other half will be suspended if Frontier avoids flight delays over the next three years.

This announcement was made two weeks after the DOT fined JetBlue Airways $2 million for flight delay issues.

View the Southwest Airlines court filing here.