DALLAS- The Trump administration has officially dropped a $2.1 million lawsuit against Southwest Airlines (WN) regarding chronically delayed flights.
The case, filed by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) at the San Francisco (SFO) district court in January 2025, accused the Dallas Love Field-based carrier (DAL) of operating persistently delayed routes over several months.
Photo: Cado PhotoSouthwest Lawsuit Over Delayed Flights
In January 2025, the Department of Transportation (DoT) sued Southwest Airlines (WN) for failing to maintain on-time performance.
According to PYOK, the agency accused the Dallas-based carrier of operating multiple “chronically delayed” flights between key US airports from 2022 onward.
A flight is classified as “chronically delayed” if it arrives more than 30 minutes late over half the time for over five months.
This standard applies regardless of the cause, weather, air traffic control, or internal mismanagement.
The DOT cited specific examples:
- Southwest flight 1029 from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Oakland International Airport (OAK) arrived late on 19 out of 25 trips in April 2022, with an average delay exceeding one hour.
- Southwest flight 1767 from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) was delayed on 19 out of 26 trips in June 2022, averaging 87 minutes behind schedule.
The department argued that Southwest engaged in “unrealistic scheduling,” harming thousands of passengers.
Other airlines, like JetBlue (B6) and Frontier Airlines (F9), had previously settled similar cases.
JetBlue agreed to pay $2 million, while Frontier paid $650,000 in fines and compensation without going to court.
Photo: TOMAS DEL CORO | FlickrWhy the Case Was Dropped
On the filing’s dismissal date, the DOT’s legal team informed the San Francisco court that the case against Southwest would no longer proceed.
However, no official explanation was given for the decision. There were no public filings indicating a consent agreement between Southwest and the DOT.
Southwest had requested and received an extension to formally respond to the lawsuit, which gave them additional time before submitting their defense.
As of the dismissal, the airline had not issued a formal statement regarding the matter.
Photo: ur-1988 | Credits to CreatorImplications for the Airline
The dropped lawsuit comes amid shifting regulatory priorities. In late 2024, the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection began enforcing penalties for chronic delays under long-standing rules, signaling a stronger stance on consumer protection in air travel.
One of the most significant proposals involved guaranteed compensation for passengers affected by avoidable delays.
Under the proposed rule, travelers could claim over $600 if their flight was delayed three hours or more due to airline-controlled factors, a model inspired by European and Canadian regulations.
However, industry pushback has been strong. Airlines have urged the new Trump administration to abandon these policies, citing operational complexity and cost concerns.
Photo: Aero Icarus | FlickrSouthwest’s Defense
Southwest Airlines (WN) contested the lawsuit’s validity, noting it had operated over 20 million flights since 2009 without prior violations of the DOT’s chronically delayed flight policy.
The airline highlighted its 2024 performance, completing over 99% of flights without cancellation, ranking first in completion factor among major US carriers.
Despite this, Southwest ranked fifth in on-time arrivals (77.8%) in 2024, trailing Delta Air Lines (DL) at 83.5%, according to aviation data provider Cirium.
The airline’s history, including a $140 million fine for its 2022 holiday meltdown, underscores ongoing scrutiny of its operations.
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The post Trump Drops Southwest Airlines $2.1 Million Lawsuit Over Flight Delays appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
