Southwest Airlines Coverage

Engine cover falls off of Southwest plane during takeoff

A Southwest Airlines jet returned to Denver Sunday morning after the engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap during takeoff, the FAA said.

Southwest Airlines sees more than 1,000 delays on Christmas Eve

Travelers flying on Southwest Airlines ran into some problems Sunday. Southwest had more than 1,000 delays and 100 cancelations Sunday according to flightaware.com.

Potential bird strike forces Southwest flight to return back to RDU

Southwest flight 1954 returned to Raleigh-Durham International Airport due to a possible bird strike, an airline spokesperson said.

WRAL Staff

RDU schedule operating smoothly after week of chaos

Flights were taking off and landing on schedule Friday for the first time in a week.

Southwest flights all on time at RDU

Southwest Airlines passengers finally got some relief on Friday morning after the airline canceled thousands of flights throughout the country.

Southwest issues new guidance as flight cancellations persist

We're getting a clearer picture of what comes next for thousands of travelers affected by the ongoing cancellations with Southwest Airlines. The airline has new guidance Thursday morning.

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Anguish of airline passengers

Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

Widespread flight cancelations continue at RDU, across country

Every canceled flight at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Wednesday morning is a Southwest Airlines flight.

Southwest fliers suffer most in holiday travel tangle

As weather-related delays wind down, those with reservations on Southwest Airlines find themselves still waiting days to rebook.

Southwest's unique business plan behind Christmas cancellation chaos

Southwest had a combination of bad luck and bad planning.

By David Goldman, CNN Business

Thousands of Canceled Flights Cap Holiday Weekend of Travel Nightmares

Thousands of travelers were stranded at U.S. airports on Monday as a wave of canceled flights — many of them operated by Southwest Airlines — spoiled holiday plans and kept families from returning home during one of the busiest and most stressful travel stretches of the year.

Amy Qin, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Steve Lohr, New York Times

Southwest buses some after series of flight cancelations

Southwest Airlines, trying to get passengers to hubs in Atlanta and Nashville, offered to charter buses for those willing to hit the highway.

Emotional baggage: Frustration boils over for travelers at RDU as Southwest cancels more flights

On Wednesday, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights throughout the country, roughly more than 60 percent of all flights the company already scheduled. More than 2,300 flights have been canceled for Thursday.

Ali Ingersoll, Liz McLaughlin and Eric Miller, WRAL reporters

Hoke County High band misses out on performance when Southwest cancels flight

Southwest Airlines canceled a flight where Hoke County High School's band was expected to board. The group was selected from hundreds of bands across the country to perform in San Diego this week, but they didn't get the chance to.

Gilbert Baez, WRAL Fayetteville reporter

Canceled flight disappoints high school band members

When Southwest Airlines canceled a flight to San Diego this week, one of a cluster of cancelations that the airline blamed on technical difficulties related to the weather, the Hoke County High School band missed out on a performance that was months in the making.

Flights canceled at RDU, plus hundreds canceled nationwide, on Monday

More flight cancellations are impacting travelers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and across the country Monday morning.

Nia Harden, WRAL reporter

Tech issues causes delays for Southwest flights at RDU

A spokesperson for the airlines said they experienced "intermittent technology issues that occurred during overnight maintenance."

Intermittent technology issue delays some flights at RDU

Most flights on Southwest Airlines were delayed on Saturday morning at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Leslie Moreno, WRAL multimedia journalist

Southwest Airlines bringing back alcohol on planes

Southwest Airlines is bringing back alcoholic beverages on flights this month after suspending their sale in March 2020.

Marnie Hunter, CNN

California Woman Pleads Guilty to Punching Flight Attendant in the Face

A 28-year-old California woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to repeatedly punching a flight attendant in May, bloodying her face and chipping three teeth, federal prosecutors said, part of a surge in violent behavior by airline passengers in the past year.

Alyssa Lukpat, New York Times

275 Minutes on Hold: Why Airline Customer Service Still Can't Keep Up

After Southwest Airlines canceled his family's flight Oct. 9, Tyler Reece Maness realized that his best option was to drive 18 hours from Oklahoma City to Orlando, Florida. That's the only way his 7-year-old daughter would make it to it Boo Bash, Disney World's $159-a-person Halloween event, the following night.

Heather Murphy, New York Times

Southwest launches investigation into pilot reportedly saying 'Let's Go Brandon' on flight

Southwest Airlines says it is launching an internal investigation after a report that one of its pilots used anti-Biden slang over a plane's public address system during a flight.

By Pete Muntean, CNN

American and Southwest Airlines Reject Texas Mandate Ban

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, citing federal requirements, said Tuesday that they would not comply with an order from the governor of Texas barring private employers from mandating coronavirus vaccines in the state.

Coral Murphy Marcos and Daniel E. Slotnik, New York Times

Fly the painful skies: Southwest isn't only airline facing host of problems

Over the weekend, Southwest cancelled hundreds of flights. But it isn't the only airline facing a wide variety of problems. Here's an update as well as what's happening at RDU International.

Southwest cancels more flights, blames weather conditions

Southwest Airlines canceled thousands of flights over the weekend and Monday due to weather issues and limited staffing. No other Airlines have had cancelations as widespread as Southwest.