Travel
Southwest Cancels 62% of Flights as Storm Chaos to Go On for Days
- Performance may cost airline 5% of fourth-quarter profit: Citi
- Rivals more quickly recovered from winter storm disruptions
Southwest Airlines Co. canceled almost two-thirds of its flights Tuesday, still hobbled by a massive winter storm that most major rivals were able to recover from with greater ease.
The chaos will prove costly to the airline, with Citi analysts estimating it could shave 3% to 5% from Southwest’s fourth-quarter earnings. There’s a reputational cost as well, with angry travelers stranded over the holiday season and the airline having to apologize, much as it did in a similar collapse after storms in October 2021.