After a breakdown at Southwest Airlines disrupted some 2 million customers and canceled more than 16,000 flights in December 2022, senators in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation are looking for answers — and pointing fingers at Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The committee's ranking member, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the disruption "an epic screwup" but said he was assured Southwest executives "are committed to doing everything possible to prevent its recurrence."
Cruz hammered at Buttigieg, remarking he was "notably absent" from the Thursday hearing on the Southwest Airlines breakdown, according to The Hill. He went on to say impacted travelers did not receive any apologies. Cruz also reminded that a system meltdown at the Federal Aviation Administration last month briefly grounded all U.S. flights.
Cruz said, "The DOT [Department of Transportation] didn't give any mea culpa to impacted travelers. Biden DOT didn't issue refunds, didn't issue reimbursements. It just screwed up their flights and then proceeded to say, 'We want to be in charge of how the airlines behave.'"
The senators heard stories of people missing funerals and holiday get-togethers. Some of the stranded took 17-hour treks across the country.
Southwest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson said the cancellations were due to inclement weather and outdated technology.
The president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, Casey Murray, said the union has been alerting the company of its "outdated" operations for years.
The committee's chair, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said the Department of Transportation needs "more resources and manpower."
She said, "This sector needs a more effective policeman on the beat. They need someone over at the Department of Transportation who is going to get the job done."
Cantwell mentioned that Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, who was invited to the hearing, "didn't want to show up." Southwest said he had conflicting engagements.
Some Democrats and critics said Buttigieg was not tough enough on airline overbooking. Although the DOT has stricter refund rules under Buttigieg, the department has yet to fine any airlines for persistent travel issues.
According to a spokesperson for the DOT, the department is investigating whether Southwest overbooked flights on the holiday and plans to hold the airline to account for refunds.
"DOT will leverage the full extent of its investigative and enforcement power to ensure consumers are protected," the spokesperson said.
Unlike Democrats, Republicans are less likely to be onboard with further regulation. They have argued that the Biden administration has overregulated the industry.
Reuters contributed to this report.