(CNN) — Southwest Airlines is offering a fresh reassurance to some customers after last week’s spate of cancellations, while the misplaced luggage fiasco could linger for days longer.
On Tuesday, Southwest informed some passengers affected by the Christmas travel crisis that they would receive 25,000 frequent flyer bonus points as a “goodwill gesture.”
In an airline email to passengers obtained by CNN, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan wrote that “no amount of apology can undo your experience.”
He said the 25,000 gift points are worth about $300, and the airline told CNN the offer is in addition to refunds and refunds.
“For those who have requested refunds and reimbursements and/or are waiting to be reunited with lost bags, these processes are being handled with great urgency and we appreciate your patience,” Jordan wrote.
The airline said the offer will be extended to travelers whose flights are canceled or delayed by more than three hours between Christmas Eve and Jan. 2.
Baggage pending
A traveler searches for a suitcase at a luggage storage area for Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport on December 28, 2022.
Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
Meanwhile, it could be up to two full weeks after Southwest Airlines’ flight schedule first collapsed before some passengers see their bags again.
In an internal memo to workers obtained by CNN, Jordan says the airline relies on volunteer workers working with those who normally deal with bags to return lost checked bags to those caught up in the Great Collapse flight plan were involved.
“Outside at our specific stations, we have people volunteering along with our amazing Ground Ops team to help scan and mail bags,” Jordan said in Tuesday’s memo.
He added that Southwest has “halved the number of lost bags since Thursday” and the airline is “on track to ship the majority, if not all, of our bags to our customers later this week.”
He says Southwest is”[w]We are working in a number of ways to expedite the process of “reuniting” our customers with their baggage,” including partnering with FedEx and transporting baggage on Southwest flights as well as those of other competing airlines.
Regarding the meltdown itself and how to prevent it, Jordan told staff, “We owe you those answers.” And said they are “putting together an action plan this week.”
Intensive scrutiny and a lawsuit for Southwest
The offer and baggage notice come as the airline faces multiple investigations, an investor scrutiny and at least one lawsuit over the cancellation of 15,700 flights during a holiday peak travel season.
The lawsuit, initiated by passenger Eric Capdeville, calls the airline’s operational collapse an “internally-caused crisis” and alleges the airline violated federal law and its agreement with passengers “to provide immediate refunds for canceled flights.”
Instead, Capdeville said the airline offered a credit toward a future flight.
Southwest did not respond in court. In a statement to CNN, the airline said it had no “information regarding the pending litigation.”
“Several high-priority efforts are underway to do the right thing by our customers, including processing refunds for canceled flights and reimbursing customers for expenses incurred as a result of irregular operations,” the statement said from Southwest.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said last week that the Department of Transportation had received “thousands” of complaints from travelers against Southwest over the “operational meltdown,” and warned that the department would “fine Southwest like any other airline with potentially tens of thousands of dollars.” per violation if they fail to comply with what is required of them to care for passengers.”
Top image: Southwest Airlines aircraft at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on December 28, 2022. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)