Following last month’s chaos which saw over 15,000 flights canceled, Southwest Airlines is set to come under scrutiny by the US Senate’s Committee for Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Southwest under scrutiny

In a statement released Wednesday, committee chair Senator Maria Cantwell confirmed that the Dallas-based low-cost carrier would face hearings after December’s catastrophic operational failures.

“Southwest’s customers are rightfully dissatisfied and deserve better,” said Senator Cantwell.

“These consumers need refunds and reimbursements for their expenses. I have spoken with CEO Bob Jordan and Secretary Buttigieg about these concerns. The Committee will be holding hearings for FAA reauthorization to examine how to strengthen consumer protections and airline operations.”

Southwest Airlines has been approached for comment, though it has not responded at the time of publication.

In a statement to Reuters, the airline explained that it would honor reasonable requests for food, accommodation, and alternative transportation for passengers affected by flight cancellations or significant delays between December 24 and January 2, though it did not state how much it has paid out in refunds.

Earlier this week, Southwest Airlines announced that it would be providing some passengers with a gift of 25,000 frequent flyer points, valued at $300 in credit, as a goodwill gesture following the chaotic Christmas period. CEO Bob Jordan issued an apology to passengers affected, noting that the airline was working to swiftly rebook affected passengers onto new services and resolve lost baggage issues.

The airline has moved to streamline its operations over the past few days for “repositioning” as it gradually returns to normal service. On January 5, just 11 cancellations were recorded, alongside 164 delays, according to Flight Aware.

“Over the recent holiday travel week, we disrupted many of our Customers’ travel and holiday plans, and for that, we are truly sorry,” a representative for the airline told Simple Flying on Wednesday.

“As we embark on the journey to rebuild our Customers’ faith, loyalty, and trust, we know we have much work to do. It’s a passionate pursuit, and our Southwest Family has never been more committed to the all-important imperative of serving our Customers with the warm Hospitality and reliability.”

Changing regulations

The Senate committee is not the first political body to criticize Southwest Airlines for its operational failures during December. On Tuesday, the White House said it would hold the carrier accountable for failing its customers and could issue a fine if it did not appropriately reimburse those affected.

In an interview with CNN, Secretary for Transport Pete Buttigieg added that the Department of Transport (DOT) would be watching to ensure it meets its commitments to support its passengers and launch an inquiry into the carrier’s handling of the week-long incident.

The ongoing scrutiny of Southwest Airlines’ operations could come with a silver lining for disaffected passengers.

Wednesday’s committee announcement follows Senator Cantwell’s work towards ensuring airlines cover secondary costs for delayed and canceled flights, filing a comment alongside Senator Richard Blumenthal for the DOT’s proposed legislation changes for airline ticket refunds in November.

Cantwell and Bimetals’ addition urged the DOT to strengthen its stance and ensure airlines cover secondary costs, including hotels, food, and transportation, alongside cutting service fees for canceled flights and requiring all airlines to declare the value of their refunds to the Bureau of Transportation each month.