The Latest Breaking News from Southwest Airlines

Transportation Secretary says airline has ‘completely melted down’ after cancelling more than 15,000 flights since 22 December

As chaos at Southwest Airlines brought misery to thousands of frustrated travelers and growing scrutiny from U.S. regulators and lawmakers, many in the aviation industry said the massive cancellation of flights by the nation’s largest domestic carrier was far from surprising.

Pictures of travelers still marooned in airports over the long holiday week are deeply disturbing.

The numbers tell a sobering story of Southwest Airlines' holiday collapse: thousands of flights abruptly canceled, and thousands upon thousands of travelers stranded for days in airport terminals.

Analysts say Southwest’s point-to-point flight system, antiquated technology, go-it-alone ticketing and overworked employees led to massive holiday breakdown.

The arctic blast that started Thursday couldn’t have come at a worse time for the holiday travelers who were left stranded in airports across the U.S.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will investigate Southwest Airlines’ onslaught of cancellations that stranded thousands of travelers and their luggage at airports and wreaked havoc on holiday plans.

The Dallas-based airline has canceled more flights than any other airline during the holidays, prompting federal investigators to ask why.

Southwest stock has dropped 6% after the airline canceled two-thirds of its flights this week.

Southwest isn't the only airline experiencing delays and cancellations, but it is by far the worst-hit, with about 5,500 of its flights canceled across the country in the last two days.

A winter storm was only the "catalyst" behind this week's air travel chaos.