'Never flying Southwest again': Stranded and frustrated customers
They've slept at airports, spent hours on the phone with customer support, tried to find other flights, and paid for alternative transportation
In the post-Christmas rush and severe winter storm mayhem, the Dallas-based airline canceled roughly two-thirds of its flights Tuesday
and indicated disruptions may last several days. Since the storm, most carriers have resumed service, and the federal authorities will probe Southwest's delay.
“I’m definitely never flying Southwest again,” Tre Smith, 34, of West Valley City, Utah, said after spending hours at the Las Vegas airport Monday.
Smith, a high school basketball coach, left Salt Lake City on Monday for a Long Beach tournament with 19 of his players.
After eight hours at the airport, the team stayed at a motel and rented four cars to drive to Southern California for Tuesday's tipoff.
“You should have seen the rental car line—it was insane,” Smith added. I strive for positivity. The kids are together. We are a team.
Amanda Lara-Santos, 38, of Tomball, Texas, a Houston suburb, said her family's travel problems began Thursday when her daughters, 22, 16, and 9
“They were stranded,” Lara-Santos stated. “They received no food or travel vouchers. No recompense was given.”