Cantwell Slams Trump Admin for Giving Southwest Airlines Free Pass on Millions in Fines Owed for 2022 Holiday Travel Meltdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, slammed the Trump Administration for its decision to waive $11 million in fines levied against Southwest Airlines by the Biden Administration following the airline’s 2022 holiday travel meltdown which stranded more than 2 million passengers.
“With the holiday travel season upon us, the Trump Administration is letting Southwest Airlines off the hook for fines they owe as a result of their 2022 holiday meltdown,” Sen. Cantwell said. “Southwest stranded more than 2 million passengers, including my Rainier Beach High School constituents, cancelled almost 17,000 flights, and failed to provide proper refunds in a timely fashion. This Administration needs to stop rolling back regulations and fines that hold industry accountable - it's their job to protect consumers when airline mistakes ruin Americans’ travel plans."
Over the 2022 holiday season, the Rainier Beach High School boys basketball team was stranded in Las Vegas during Winter Storm Elliott due to Southwest Airlines’ operational meltdown. Sen. Cantwell personally helped Coach Bethea and his wife secure a full refund and other reimbursements from the company.
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