Southwest Airlines beginning April 30 now must provide a
transferrable voucher worth at least $75 for any controllable cancellation or
delay that causes passengers to reach their destination three or more hours
after their scheduled arrival time, the U.S. Department of Transportation
announced Tuesday.
The voucher requirement is part
of the penalty DOT levied against Southwest in December 2023 in response to
the carrier’s 2022
holiday operational disruptions, which resulted in about 16,900 canceled
flights, affecting more than 2 million passengers.
How this works with the new
rules DOT announced last week regarding refunds for canceled or delayed
flights, late baggage and other missing ancillaries is that for Southwest, the
carrier on qualifying flights will be required to provide a refund as well as a
minimum $75 voucher, according to a DOT spokesperson.
Southwest will be required to provide the vouchers until
April 29, 2027, and they shall remain valid for at least one year after the
issue date, according to the December consent order.
