(Scypre.com) – Southwest Airlines passengers across the United States encountered significant delays on Wednesday following a “brief technology issue” triggered by a power outage, according to the airline. This incident marks another setback for the company, which is still recovering from a massive operational failure in 2022.
The airline reported that the issue originated from a power outage at one of its data centers in the Dallas area. “Southwest Airlines has resolved a brief technology issue that was caused by a power outage at one of our data centers in the Dallas area this afternoon,” the company said in a statement to FOX Business. Despite the quick resolution, the outage affected numerous flights.
“While we were able to continue overall operations, some flights across the system were delayed while our teams addressed the outage and restarted systems. We apologize to our customers and appreciate their patience as we work to get them to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible,” the airline added.
At one point on Wednesday evening, about 32% of Southwest’s flights experienced delays, as reported by USA Today, referencing data from Flight Aware. This situation echoes the company’s infamous December 2022 meltdown when nearly 17,000 flights were canceled, leaving 2 million passengers stranded during the Christmas holiday season.
Following that crisis, Southwest Airlines compensated passengers to the tune of $600 million and faced a $140 million fine after a government investigation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on the fine, stating, “Today’s action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: If airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable. Taking care of passengers is not just the right thing to do — it’s required, and this penalty should put all airlines on notice to take every step possible to ensure that a meltdown like this never happens again.”
The 2022 disruption, characterized by chaotic scenes of stranded passengers and misplaced baggage, was partly attributed to the airline’s outdated computer systems. In response, Southwest pledged to invest $1 billion in upgrading and maintaining its IT infrastructure.
In a note to customers last year, CEO Bob Jordan stated, “The recent disruption will accelerate our plans to enhance our processes and technology as we continue to focus on adding capabilities to bring rapid improvements for you, our valued customers.”