SouthWest Airlines was enveloped in chaos this weekend as it had to cancel thousands of flights around the country due to what they claimed was bad weather and staffing shortages:<br /><br />Here’s more:<br /><br />CNBC – Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,800 flights this weekend, disrupting the travel plans of thousands of customers and stranding flight crews — the airline blamed the meltdown on a combination of bad weather, air traffic control problems and its own shortage of available staff.<br /><br />“I know this is incredibly difficult for all of you, and our Customers are not happy,” Alan Kasher executive vice president of daily flight operations told staff in a note on Sunday, which was seen by CNBC.<br /><br />The airline said initial problems on bad weather and an “FAA-imposed air traffic management program” were to blame.<br /><br />“Although we were staffed for the weekend, we could not anticipate the significant disruption that was created from unexpected ATC issues and bad weather across our Florida stations,” said Kasher.<br /><br />Other airlines canceled relatively few flights. Southwest did not comment on the disparity.<br /><br />While CNBC says 1,800 flights, CNN reported this morning that it was over 2,000.
