Southwest said it canceled about 16,700 flights between Dec. 21 through Dec. 31, failing to recover from severe winter weather.
"Customers just consistently choose their flights based on fare and schedule," he said. "As they're going through a disrupted trip they'll say 'never again' — and then they do."
Southwest has to solve the issues that caused the holiday trouble and make amends with customers, but many travelers — particularly those at airports where Southwest has a strong foothold — typically have few airline choices, Ahasic said. Codi Smith, a 28-year-old artist who lives in Los Angeles, paid $578.60 for a Delta flight back to LA from his mother's house in St. Louis after Southwest canceled part of his return trip after Christmas. Southwest offered Smith an alternative flight on New Year's Eve, but Smith said he has multiple sclerosis and needed to get back to Los Angeles sooner to get his medication.
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