NEW YORK, Jan 3 (Reuters) – Southwest Airways (LUV.N) has been sued by a passenger who stated it failed to supply refunds to passengers left stranded when an operational meltdown led the provider to cancel greater than 15,000 flights late final month.
In a proposed class motion filed on Dec. 30 in New Orleans federal courtroom, Eric Capdeville accused Southwest of breach of contract after a fierce winter storm that swept throughout the US shortly earlier than Christmas upended the provider's schedule.
Although Southwest has promised to reimburse passengers for bills, Capdeville stated it supplied solely a credit score to him and his daughter after scrapping their Dec. 27 flight to Portland, Oregon from New Orleans and being unable to e-book different journey.
Affected passengers “can not use their airline tickets via no fault of their very own and they don't seem to be getting the advantage of their cut price with defendant,” the grievance stated.
Capdeville, a Marrero, Louisiana resident, is looking for damages for passengers on Southwest flights canceled since Dec. 24, and who didn't obtain refunds or expense reimbursements.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Southwest had no touch upon the lawsuit, however stated it had “a number of excessive precedence efforts underway to do proper by our clients, together with processing refunds from canceled flights, and reimbursing clients for bills incurred on account of the irregular operations.”
Capdeville's lawyer didn't instantly reply to requests for added remark.
The meltdown at Dallas-based Southwest has been blamed on staffing shortages and outdated flight scheduling software program.
Southwest has stated it might reimburse affected passengers for affordable bills resembling last-minute lodge, rental automobile and eating prices, but it surely would possibly take a number of weeks.
The provider largely restored regular operations on Dec. 30, a number of days after different airways had recovered from the storm.
In a Dec. 29 letter to Southwest Chief Govt Bob Jordan, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg referred to as the disruptions “unacceptable” and stated the legislation requires refunds when carriers cancel flights except passengers settle for rebooking.
The case is Capdeville v Southwest Airways Co, U.S. District Court docket, Japanese District of Louisiana, No. 22-05590.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Enhancing by Nick Zieminski
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