Dallas-based Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds more flights Monday morning after a weekend in which about 1,800 flights were cancelled. Saturday, Southwest canceled 808 flights; Southwest canceled 1,124 flights, or 30% of its schedule, on Sunday, according to the website FlightAware.
Through 9 a.m. Monday, FlightAware reported 355 cancellations, representing 10% of Southwest's schedule. Another 571 flights representing 16% of the schedule were delayed.
"[Air traffic control] issues and disruptive weather have resulted in a high volume of cancellations throughout the weekend while we work to recover our operation. We appreciate your patience as we accommodate affected Customers, and Customer Service wait times are longer than usual," Southwest posted on Twitter.
The FAA says no staffing shortages have been reported since Friday.
Southwest urged passengers to rebook online instead of coming to the airport, but at Love Field Monday morning, many say they came when they received a text their flight had been cancelled.
"It's been really frustrating. At one point you just have to laugh to keep from crying," one woman said who had flown into Love Field from Atlanta.
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She says her flight from Atlanta to Houston was delayed several hours because Southwest did not have a flight crew available. She says that flight was ultimately canceled, and she was re-booked on a flight into Dallas, but her next flight to Houston was then canceled. She says the earliest flight she was able to book was Monday evening, after a meeting scheduled in Houston for work.
"I always recommend Southwest to people because they're always so friendly. Their service is usually so great, but this has definitely been a couple of really frustrating days," she says.
The Southwest pilots' union, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association says it is "aware of operational difficulties affecting Southwest Airlines," but the union says "our Pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions."
"Our Pilots will continue to overcome SWA management’s poor planning, as well as any external operational challenges, and remain the most productive Pilots in the world. They will continue to be focused on their highest priority — safety. SWAPA Pilots are true professionals and will always maintain the highest level of responsibility to their crews, their passengers, and our airline," the union wrote in a statement.
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