Southwest must offer $75 travel vouchers for certain flight delays: US DOT
(WHTM) — Southwest Airlines will now offer a travel voucher worth at least $75 to some customers whose flights are canceled or delayed.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that Southwest Airlines is required to provide compensation as part of a deal reached after its 2022 "holiday meltdown that stranded millions of passengers across the country."
Flyers can receive a Southwest LUV Voucher if their flight is canceled or delayed within seven days of departure, they arrive three or more hours later than planned, and the delay or cancellation was caused by something Southwest could control, such as maintenance or staffing.
Passengers are not eligible for the the extra voucher when a Southwest flight is delayed or canceled by things out of the airline's control, such as weather. However, if that is the case, the DOT recently created new rules that make it easier for passengers to get a quick refund.
“After the 2022 holiday meltdown, our department held Southwest Airlines accountable—and now the airline is required to compensate passengers for lengthy delays and cancellations that they cause,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We're pleased to bring these benefits to passengers, and further show the flying public that the Biden-Harris Administration has their back.”
Passengers can apply for a voucher through an online form that must be submitted within one year of the delayed/canceled flight. Southwest will respond to the email within 30 days of receiving the request form.
Vouchers will be transferrable and valid for at least one year after the date its issued.
The Department of Transportation says they will "be closely monitoring" the program. An annual report will be filed every May for the next three years detailing the voucher expenditures.