DALLAS, Texas: Southwest Airlines has been sued by a passenger, Eric Capdeville, who said the airline failed to refund passengers left stranded when it canceled more than 15,000 flights late last month.
In a proposed class action suit filed on 30th December in New Orleans federal court, Louisiana resident Capdeville accused Southwest of a breach of contract, after a winter storm hit the US shortly before Christmas, disrupting the airline's schedule.
He added that despite Southwest promising to refund passengers for expenses, it offered him only a credit after his flight from New Orleans to Portland, Oregon on 27th December, was canceled and he was unable to make alternative travel arrangements.
The complaint stressed that affected passengers "cannot use their airline tickets through no fault of their own and they are not getting the benefit of their bargain with defendant."
Capdeville is seeking damages for passengers on Southwest flights canceled since 24th December, and who have not received refunds or expense reimbursements.
In a statement this week, Southwest said it had "several high priority efforts underway to do right by our customers, including processing refunds from canceled flights, and reimbursing customers for expenses incurred as a result of the irregular operations."
In a letter dated 29th December to Southwest Chief Executive Bob Jordan, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed that the situation was "unacceptable," and the law requires refunds when carriers cancel flights, unless passengers accept rebooking.
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