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United and American Airlines place price caps on some cities to help Southwest customers get home

United and American Airlines place price caps on some cities to help Southwest customers get home
KOAT.COM. MEANWHILE, SOUTHWEST CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH A MASSIVE CANCELLATIONS. THE AIRLINE EXPERIENCING THE PERFECT STORM TWO STAFFING ISSUES ALONG WITH BAD WEATHER HITTING DENVER AND CHICAGO, TWO OF THE BIGGEST HUBS HARD. BUT WHAT RIGHTS DO TRAVELERS HAVE DURING THIS STRESSFUL TIME? TIMES GOING TO BE GLASS IS AT THE SUNPORT WITH SOME ANSWERS. I GENEVIEVE. HI, ROB. YES. SO SOUTHWEST IS THE LARGEST CARRIER HERE AT THE SOME PORTS. SO THIS IS IMPACTING A LOT OF LOCAL PASSENGERS HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO RUN YOU THROUGH SOME NUMBERS I JUST RECEIVED FROM THE SUNPORT 122 CANCELLATIONS FROM SOUTHWEST IN THE PAST FOUR DAYS. NOW, COMPARE THAT WITH ALASKA, WITH JUST 12 DELTA, WITH SEVEN, SPIRIT WITH FOUR, AND UNITED WITH THREE. A LOCAL, LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT TELLING ME THAT WHILE PASSENGERS DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE NOT NECESSARILY QUICK SOLUTIONS. THE STORM THAT OCCURRED AND OTHER BREAKDOWNS, BUT THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY REALLY HAS BROUGHT CERTAIN BARRIERS TO A STANDSTILL. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CANCELING TWO THIRDS OF THEIR FLIGHTS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW. THEY’RE ONE OF THE FEW MAJOR AIRLINES WITHOUT ANY PARTNERS, SO THEY DON’T HAVE THE OPTION OF REBOOKING YOU ON ANOTHER AIRLINE FOR MAYBE A THIRD OF THEIR FLIGHTS OPERATING TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY CREATES MORE OF A BACKLOG. AND IT IS NOW FOUR OR FIVE DAYS OUT. SOUTHWEST SAYS ALL CUSTOMERS WITH TRIPS PLANNED BETWEEN DECEMBER 24TH AND JANUARY 2ND CAN REQUEST A REFUND FOR THEIR UNUSED TICKETS. THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. THAT WAY YOU CAN LOOK FOR A TICKET ON ANOTHER AIRLINE WITHOUT BEING TOO OUT OF POCKET OR CANCEL RADIATION. AREN’T PART OF THE AIRLINE AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR REASONABLE GUIDELINES THAT THEY FOLLOW. SO KEEP EVERY RECEIPT FROM DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU’RE GOING TO RECEIVE 100%. IF A TRAVELER EXPERIENCED A FLIGHT CANCELLATION OR SIGNIFICANT DELAY BETWEEN DECEMBER 24TH AND JANUARY 2ND, 2023, SOUTHWEST SAYS THEY WILL, QUOTE, HONOR REASONABLE REQUESTS FOR REIMBURSE AMOUNT FOR MEALS, HOTEL AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION. PASSENGERS CAN SEND RECEIPTS THROUGH THE AIRLINE’S WEBSITE. IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE, AGAIN, PATIENCE BEFORE YOU MIGHT SEE A REIMBURSEMENT IS A REAL CHALLENGE AT THIS POINT FOR THE TRAVELER. BUT EACH AIRLINE DOES, OF COURSE, HAVE THEIR OWN POLICIES. BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU ARE LIKELY IN THESE INSTANCES TO BE ENTITLED TO A REFUND FOR YOUR FLIGHT SHOULD YOU ENCOUNTER ANY CANCELLATIONS OR SIGNIFICANT DELAYS. LEAV
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United and American Airlines place price caps on some cities to help Southwest customers get home
Video above: Southwest Airlines flights canceled: Here's how to get a refundMany Southwest customers have been desperately trying something -- anything -- that will get them back home. But some passengers have been horrified to find other airlines posting last-minute flights to their destinations that can cost thousands of dollars.United and American Airlines say they have a solution: The airlines will place price caps on travel to and from select cities, the companies told CNN.Although it didn't specifically mention Southwest, American implied the price caps were designed to help the melted-down airline's customers get home.The price caps vary by location in areas affected by cancellations, an American Airlines spokesperson told CNN. Southwest did not respond to CNN's request for comment.American Airlines notified customers about the price caps in a series of tweets directed at people who posted screenshots of thousand-dollar flights.One traveler posted a screenshot showing flights from San Diego to Orlando with American, Delta and United fares that cost more than $2,000. The passenger was looking to rebook a canceled Southwest flight."We're doing our part to help get people where they need to be and we're putting a cap on fares for select cities," American tweeted.Another tweeted at American Airlines asking for help with delayed flights and no rebooking options (adding in a #southwestdebacle hashtag)."Kindly join us in DMs with the booking code, and we'll be happy to check on available options," American replied.United Airlines also says it is capping fares on some routes served by Southwest Airlines.Video below: Family gets off cruise, learns Southwest flights were canceledThe cap runs through Saturday and applies in many of the U.S. and Latin American markets where Southwest also flies. United spokesman Josh Freed could not immediately specify a dollar amount for the cap."We continue to get people to their destinations as safely and quickly as possible this busy holiday season and our latest effort includes capping fares in select cities to make sure our flights are available to as many customers as possible," Freed told CNN.Cancellations pile upThe price caps could come as a welcome relief for stranded Southwest fliers across the country.Southwest canceled 2,507 flights for Wednesday, by far the most of any airline, according to flight tracker website FlightAware. The airline canceled 2,694 on Tuesday and already has another 2,348 flights canceled for Thursday.Making the travel nightmare worse, Southwest has a policy of not rebooking customers on rival airlines. Southwest Airlines does not have interline agreements with other carriers that would allow its agents to rebook passengers on a different airline, narrowing the options for stranded passengers.Video below: Southwest customers recount troubles caused due to canceled flights"Southwest is unique in the industry in that we don't have codeshare partners," a company spokesman said. "That is just part of our business model."In a video statement on Tuesday, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan spoke to frustrated customers, saying, "I'm truly sorry." Jordan blamed the airline's mass cancellations on record cold temperatures across the country complicating flight paths. "fter days of trying to operate as much of our full schedule across the busy holiday weekend, we reached a decision point to significantly reduce our flying to catch up."Southwest is the largest carrier in the country and the largest airline in 23 out of the 25 top U.S. travel markets, according to the company.

Video above: Southwest Airlines flights canceled: Here's how to get a refund

Many Southwest customers have been desperately trying something -- anything -- that will get them back home. But some passengers have been horrified to find other airlines posting last-minute flights to their destinations that can cost thousands of dollars.

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United and American Airlines say they have a solution: The airlines will place price caps on travel to and from select cities, the companies told CNN.

Although it didn't specifically mention Southwest, American implied the price caps were designed to help the melted-down airline's customers get home.

The price caps vary by location in areas affected by cancellations, an American Airlines spokesperson told CNN. Southwest did not respond to CNN's request for comment.

American Airlines notified customers about the price caps in a series of tweets directed at people who posted screenshots of thousand-dollar flights.

One traveler posted a screenshot showing flights from San Diego to Orlando with American, Delta and United fares that cost more than $2,000. The passenger was looking to rebook a canceled Southwest flight.

"We're doing our part to help get people where they need to be and we're putting a cap on fares for select cities," American tweeted.

Another tweeted at American Airlines asking for help with delayed flights and no rebooking options (adding in a #southwestdebacle hashtag).

"Kindly join us in DMs with the booking code, and we'll be happy to check on available options," American replied.

United Airlines also says it is capping fares on some routes served by Southwest Airlines.

Video below: Family gets off cruise, learns Southwest flights were canceled

The cap runs through Saturday and applies in many of the U.S. and Latin American markets where Southwest also flies. United spokesman Josh Freed could not immediately specify a dollar amount for the cap.

"We continue to get people to their destinations as safely and quickly as possible this busy holiday season and our latest effort includes capping fares in select cities to make sure our flights are available to as many customers as possible," Freed told CNN.

Cancellations pile up

The price caps could come as a welcome relief for stranded Southwest fliers across the country.

Southwest canceled 2,507 flights for Wednesday, by far the most of any airline, according to flight tracker website FlightAware. The airline canceled 2,694 on Tuesday and already has another 2,348 flights canceled for Thursday.

Making the travel nightmare worse, Southwest has a policy of not rebooking customers on rival airlines. Southwest Airlines does not have interline agreements with other carriers that would allow its agents to rebook passengers on a different airline, narrowing the options for stranded passengers.

Video below: Southwest customers recount troubles caused due to canceled flights

"Southwest is unique in the industry in that we don't have codeshare partners," a company spokesman said. "That is just part of our business model."

In a video statement on Tuesday, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan spoke to frustrated customers, saying, "I'm truly sorry." Jordan blamed the airline's mass cancellations on record cold temperatures across the country complicating flight paths. "[A]fter days of trying to operate as much of our full schedule across the busy holiday weekend, we reached a decision point to significantly reduce our flying to catch up."

Southwest is the largest carrier in the country and the largest airline in 23 out of the 25 top U.S. travel markets, according to the company.