Transportation
Southwest Air Faces US Lawsuit for ‘Chronic Flight Delays’
- Transportation Dept. to seek maximum penalties against carrier
- Southwest calls claim of unrealistic schedules ‘not credible’
Southwest Airlines Co. was sued by the US Transportation Department for allegedly violating rules that require airlines to set and meet realistic flight schedules.
The carrier was responsible for “unlawful chronic flight delays” that disrupted passengers’ travel plans, the agency said Wednesday in a statement. The Transportation Department said it would seek “maximum civil penalties” against Southwest in the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Oakland, California.