Get All Access for $5/mo

Southwest Airlines Is Giving Out Vouchers for Passengers Caught in Cancellation Chaos If Southwest canceled your flight recently, you might qualify.

By Chloe Arrojado

Kevin Dietsch |Getty Images

The past weekend was a disaster of sorts for Southwest Airlines. The Dallas-based airline has canceled more than 2,000 flights since Saturday, disrupting travel plans for thousands of customers. Now, the airline is addressing customer complaints by handing out vouchers to disgruntled customers — on top of the required refunds.

The exact range of voucher amounts isn't clear, but USA Today reports travelers have seen vouchers from $100 to $250. The company started emailing customers vouchers on Wednesday, but Southwest Airlines spokesperson Brandy King says getting a voucher might take longer than usual due to the number of passengers affected.

Related: Disgruntled Customers Sound Off on Southwest Airlines Amid Cancellations, Claim No Refunds or Answers: 'This Is Entirely Self-Inflicted'

For those still waiting for a voucher email, airline representatives seem quick to respond to customers' tweets.

"We review each situation individually to determine the compensation based on level of inconvenience," King said in an email. "The level of inconvenience is a mix of length of delay, quality of reaccommodation options and flight cancellations."

The airline initially blamed air traffic control issues and disruptive weather for the cancellations. However, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said that was not the case in a Tuesday interview with Good Morning America.

Kelly said although there were no air traffic control issues over the weekend, the problems were due to a number of Federal Aviation Administration delay programs in Florida on Friday. After a hectic few days for the airline, he says operations are now "back to normal."

"I want to apologize to all of our customers, this is not what we want," Kelly said in the interview. "Unfortunately, it just takes a couple of days to get things back on track."

Related: Southwest Airlines CEO Speaks Out on Cancellation Chaos and Vaccine Mandate: 'We're Not Going to Fire Any Employees Over This'

Chloe Arrojado

Entrepreneur Staff

Editorial Assistant

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Marketing

Many Brands Risk Being Left Behind By Overlooking These Critical Advertising Steps

Learn how to use smart marketing tools and AI to optimize online advertising and maximize ad spend in today's competitive landscape.