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The U.S. Department of Transportation said this week it would withhold $75 million in federal funding from Pennsylvania if the state does not meet demands to address how it issues commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants.
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Flight reductions at 40 major U.S. airports will remain at 6% instead of rising to 10% by the end of the week because more air traffic controllers are coming to work, officials said Wednesday.
The announcement was made as Congress took steps to end the longest government shutdown in history. Not long after, President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill to end the closure.
The flight cuts were implemented last week as more air traffic controllers were calling out of work, citing stress and the need to take on second jobs — leaving more control towers and facilities short-staffed. Air traffic controllers missed two paychecks during the impasse.
The Department of Transportation said the flight reduction decision was made on recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration’s safety team, after a “rapid decline” in controller callouts.
The 6% limit will stay in place while officials assess whether the air traffic system can safely return to normal operations, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, although he did not provide a timeline Wednesday.
“If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations,” Duffy said in a statement.
Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday that safety remains their top priority and that all decisions will be guided by data.
Delta struck an optimistic note about how much longer flight reductions would continue, saying in a statement the airline looked forward to bringing its “operation back to full capacity over the next few days.”
Since the restrictions took effect last Friday, more than 10,100 flights have been canceled, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. The FAA originally planned to ramp up flight cuts from 4% to 10% at the 40 airports.
The FAA said that worrisome safety data showed flight reductions were needed to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at its air traffic control facilities as flight disruptions began to pile up.
Duffy has declined to share the specific safety data that prompted the flight cuts. But at a news conference Tuesday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, he cited reports of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.
The FAA’s list of 40 airports spans more than two dozen states and includes large hubs such as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago. The order requires all commercial airlines to make cuts at those airports.
Airlines for America, the trade group of U.S. airlines, posted on social media that it was grateful for the funding bill. It said reopening the government would allow U.S. airlines to restore operations ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday which is in about two weeks.
How long it will take for the aviation system to stabilize is unclear. The flight restrictions upended airline operations in just a matter of days. Many planes were rerouted and aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Airlines for America said earlier Wednesday that there would be residual effects for days.
Eric Chaffee, a Case Western Reserve professor who studies risk management, says airlines face complex hurdles, including rebuilding flight schedules that were planned months in advance.
Airline and hotel trade groups had earlier Wednesday urged the House to act quickly to end the shutdown, warning of potential holiday travel chaos.
Flight cuts disrupted other flights and crews, leading to more cancelations than the FAA required at first. The impact was worsened by unexpected controller shortages over the weekend and severe weather.
The CEO of the U.S. Travel Association said essential federal workers like air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers must be paid if “Congress ever goes down this foolish path again” and there is a shutdown.
“America cannot afford another self-inflicted crisis that threatens the systems millions rely on every day,” Geoff Freeman said in a statement.
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Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.
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Traveling and can’t fly? Whether you’re going to Atlanta or Arizona, you’ll most likely need to drive. But how smooth will the drive be?
Construction Coverage, an insurance company for builders and real estate professionals, ranked the states with the best and worst roads. This is based on data from the U.S. Department of Transportation which researchers used to calculate the percentage of major roadways in poor condition.
Based on its findings, Georgia has some of the best roads in the nation. The researchers reported 66.5% of major roadways are in good condition, 29.2% are in fair condition, and only 4.3% are in poor condition.
These numbers put Georgia roads at seventh best in the country.
Here are the top 5 states along with the state of their major roadways, ranked from best to worst:
Indiana with 78.9% in good condition, 18.4% in fair condition, and 2.7% in poor condition.
Kansas with 80.6% in good condition, 16.5% in fair condition, and 2.9% in poor condition.
Wyoming with 75.9% in good condition, 21.2% in fair condition, and 2.9% in poor condition.
South Dakota with 71.7% in good condition, 24.4% in fair condition, and 3.9% in poor condition.
North Dakota with 76.9% in good condition, 18.9% in fair condition, and 4.2% in poor condition.
FILE – Georgia’s roads were ranked among the best quality in the nation by Construction Coverage.
Here are the bottom 5 states along with the state of their major roadways, ranked from worst to best:
Rhode Island with 26.3% in good condition, 36.5% in fair condition, and 37.2% in poor condition.
Massachusetts with 36.7% in good condition, 36.3% in fair condition, and 27% in poor condition.
California with 37.9% in good condition, 35.5% in fair condition, and 26.6% in poor condition.
Hawaii with 35.7% in good condition, 37.8% in fair condition, and 26.5% in poor condition.
New York with 41.5% in good condition, 34.8% in fair condition, and 23.7% in poor condition.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Construction Coverage ranks states with the best, worst roads. How’s GA?
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HOUSTON – Airlines will now be forced to offer full refunds for flights that don’t get off the ground or are delayed, among other issues.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the new rule on Wednesday. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg calling this new set of regulations the end of the “refund runaround.”
In the rule released the U.S. DOT, airlines will now be required to offer automatic full cash refunds for all canceled flights as well as significantly changed flights.
“No more refund runaround, and no more defaulting to a travel credit that expires,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
Our department just issued rules to protect people from hidden airline fees and to require airlines to give passengers automatic cash refunds when owed. No more having to fend for yourself and jump through hoops to get your money back—airlines will have to automatically do this. pic.twitter.com/Jv7dFmnNkI
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) April 24, 2024
This includes domestic flights delayed by more than three hours and international flights delayed by six hours, flights arriving or leaving from a different airport, added connections or if passengers are downgraded to a lower class. The rule also takes effect if a connection is at an airport or on a flight using a different plane that are less accessible or accommodating to someone with a disability.
“In the past, you have to run through hoops, rings of a fire before you could get stuff,” travel expert Pete Trabucco said.
“And I think it sounds very fair and even to everyone. Not just if you complain,” Amanda Watson, who was traveling to Houston’s Hobby Airport from Vermont, added.
Your bags are also impacted by the new regulations.
If luggage is lost or delayed by more than 12 hours for domestic flights and 15-30 hours for international flights, passengers will be entitled to a full refund.
“It’s an automatic prompt, and you want it in cash or in the original way,” Trabucco explained.
“It’s not that a lot,” Wanda Gates-Monroe said. “But to just to know I’d get my cash back would be awesome.”
The groundbreaking regulations doesn’t stop there. Hidden fees were also tackled by the Department of Transportation’s policy.
Airlines now need to be upfront about “junk fees,” which include hidden baggage charges and other fees that are tacked on later or at the airport during check-in.
“Passengers should know how much it’ll add to your total ticket price, to check or carry on a bag, or to change or cancel your flight,” Buttigieg said.
Federal leaders and travel experts alike call this a monumental win for passengers travelling in the skies over the United States.
However, is this truly as good as it sounds?
“Holds the airlines accountable, and I just hope that it doesn’t make all the prices go up overall,” Watson added. “The airlines always take care of themselves.”
“It’s good for the customer and the consumer, but at the same time, it might not be good for them. And yes, they might have to raise pricing,” Trabucco responded.
The Department of Transportation mandates that airlines comply with the regulations within six months for automatic refunds.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
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Gage Goulding
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GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Grand Canyon National Park is getting $27.5 million in federal highway money to upgrade its aging fleet of shuttle buses, which help the more than 4 million annual visitors get around the huge park.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced the grant at an event Thursday on the canyon’s south rim.
The replacement project includes 30 new buses — 20 that run on compressed natural gas and 10 electric buses. Charging stations will be installed for the electric buses. The new buses are expected to reduce pollution and ease the overcrowding of vehicles at the park.
Officials say they plan to conduct safety investigations of all the major freight railroads over the next year.
California’s transit agencies are asking Democrats who control the state’s government to rescue them like Democrats in New York recently did.
Norfolk Southern has become the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide sick time to all of its workers.
The park has over 270 miles of paved and unpaved roads.
The Grand Canyon project is one of seven to receive grants totaling $130.5 million under a Federal Highway Administration program that recognizes transportation projects of national significance that serve federal and tribal lands.
Officials from the Department of Transportation, Interior Department, the park and surrounding communities attended Thursday’s event.
“With this National Park Service grant that is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re helping to deliver safe, sustainable and reliable transportation investments that help families and visitors explore the Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding communities,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of air travelers are facing potential flight cancellations and delays this weekend, the peak of summer travel, as thunderstorms threaten the East Coast, West Coast and points in between.
Nearly 270 U.S. flights were canceled early Friday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware, and more than 1,100 U.S. flights were delayed. It’s been a terrible week for United Airlines and it is leading all major domestic carriers again Friday both canceled and delayed flights.
Staying calm — and knowing your rights — can go a long way if your flight is canceled, experts say. Here’s some of their advice for dealing with a flight cancellation:
Global stock markets are mostly higher after Australia’s central bank kept its key lending rate unchanged and Wall Street hit a 15-month high.
Australia’s central bank has left its benchmark interest rate at 4.1% after inflation fell to 5.6% in May from 6.5% a month earlier.
State media have reported that Vietnam has banned distribution of the popular “Barbie” movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the DOT and Federal Aviation Administration were “working closely with airlines to help minimize flight disruptions resulting from extreme weather” heading into the July Fourth holiday.
But if your flight is cancelled, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline spokesperson, has stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.
Yes. Airlines aren’t required to put you on another airline’s flight, but they can, and sometimes do, according to the DOT. Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com, previously recommended researching alternate flights while you’re waiting to talk to an agent. Agents are typically under a lot of pressure when a flight is canceled, so giving them some options helps.
Ebenhoch also suggested looking for alternative airports that are close to your original destination.
No. As announced last month, the Biden adminstration is seeking to require that airlines compensate travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the carrier’s control — but, as of now, each airline still has its own policies about providing for customers whose flights are canceled, according to the DOT.
Many airlines do offer accommodations, so you should check with their staff. The DOT also has an online dashboard that allows travelers to compare cancelation and delay policies of major carriers.
If someone in your traveling party is at a higher level in a frequent flier program, use the number reserved for that level to call the airline, Ebenhoch said. You can also try calling an international help desk for the airline, since those agents have the ability to make changes.
Ebenhoch said nonstop flights and morning flights are generally the most reliable if you can book them. If you’re worried about making it to the airport in time for a morning flight, he said, consider staying at a hotel connected to the airport the night before. And consider flying outside of busy dates.
Klee recommended comparing airlines’ policies on the DOT’s service dashboard. He also suggests reserving multiple flights and then canceling the ones you don’t use, as long as the airline will refund your money or convert it into a credit for a future flight.
Flight cancellations trended lower throughout the spring of 2023 than last year, according to data from the FAA.
Industry officials argue that carriers have fixed problems that contributed to a surge in flight cancellations and delays last summer, when 52,000 flights were nixed from June through August. Airlines have hired about 30,000 workers since then, including thousands of pilots, and they are using bigger planes to reduce flights but not the number of seats.
Still, officials warn of lingering staffing shortages, notably among key air traffic controllers. The FAA is training about 3,000 more controllers, but they won’t be ready for this summer’s travel. The agency resorted to nudging airlines to reduce flights in the New York City area this summer, and it opened 169 new flight paths over the East Coast to reduce bottlenecks.
In a government audit published last week, the Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General found that the FAA has made “limited efforts” to have adequate staffing at critical air traffic control facilities, noting that the agency “continues to face staffing challenges and lacks a plan to address them, which in turn poses a risk to the continuity of air traffic operations.”
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Airline passengers who have endured tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays this week got a welcome respite from the headaches Saturday, despite concerns about possible disruptions caused by new wireless 5G systems rolling out near major airports.
The number of flight delays and cancellations declined from the spikes recorded earlier in the week, according to data compiled by tracking service FlightAware. As of 10 p.m. EST, there had been at least 850 flight cancellations and more than 28,000 delayed flights Saturday. During the June 28-30 period, an average of 1,751 flights were canceled and more then 32,600 flights delayed, according to the FlightAware data.
The cancellation rate worked out to about 1% in the U.S. as of Saturday afternoon, according to Flightradar24, another tracking service. Flightradar24 spokesperson Ian Petchenik described Saturday’s conditions as “smooth sailing” in an email to The Associated Press, while adding inclement weather could cause problems at East Coast airports later in the day.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration also advised travelers that bad weather conditions on the East Coast could affect flights later Saturday.
Heading into Saturday, one of the biggest concerns had been whether 5G signals would interfere with aircraft equipment, especially devices using radio waves to measure distance above the ground that are critical when planes land in low visibility.
Predictions that interference would cause massive flight groundings failed to come true last year, when telecom companies began rolling out the new service. They then agreed to limit the power of the signals around busy airports, giving airlines an extra year to upgrade their planes.
The leader of the nation’s largest pilots’ union said crews will be able to handle the impact of 5G, but he criticized the way the wireless licenses were granted, saying it had added unnecessary risk to aviation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently told airlines that flights could be disrupted because a small portion of the nation’s fleet has not been upgraded to protect against radio interference.
But the worst fears about 5G hadn’t cropped up by mid-afternoon Saturday, prompting Transportation Department spokesperson Kerry Arndt to describe flight travel as being at “near-normal” levels. But Arrndt also stressed that the Federal Aviation Administration is “working very closely with airlines to monitor summer pop-up storms, wildfire smoke, and any 5G issues.”
Most of the major U.S. airlines had made the changes needed to adapt to 5G. American, Southwest, Alaska, Frontier and United say all of their planes have height-measuring devices, called radio altimeters, that are protected against 5G interference.
The big exception is Delta Air Lines. Delta says it has 190 planes, including most of its smaller ones, that still lack upgraded altimeters because its supplier has been unable to provide them fast enough.
The airline does not expect to cancel any flights because of the issue, Delta said Friday. The airline plans to route the 190 planes carefully to limit the risk of canceling flights or forcing planes to divert away from airports where visibility is low because of fog or low clouds. FlightAware listed nine Delta flight cancellations Saturday. None of them were tied to 5G issues, according to the airline.
The Delta planes that have not been retrofitted include several models of Airbus jets: all of its A220s, most of its A319s and A320s and some of its A321s. The airline’s Boeing jets have upgraded altimeters, as do all Delta Connection planes, which are operated by Endeavor Air, Republic Airways and SkyWest Airlines, according to the airline.
JetBlue did not respond to requests for comment but told The Wall Street Journal it expected to retrofit 17 smaller Airbus jets by October, with possible “limited impact” some days in Boston.
Wireless carriers including Verizon and AT&T use a part of the radio spectrum called C-Band, which is close to frequencies used by radio altimeters, for their new 5G service. The Federal Communications Commission granted them licenses for the C-Band spectrum and dismissed any risk of interference, saying there was ample buffer between C-Band and altimeter frequencies.
When the Federal Aviation Administration sided with airlines and objected, the wireless companies pushed back the rollout of their new service. In a compromise brokered by the Biden administration, the wireless carriers then agreed not to power up 5G signals near about 50 busy airports. That postponement ends Saturday.
AT&T declined to comment. Verizon did not immediately respond to a question about its plans.
Buttigieg reminded the head of trade group Airlines for America about the deadline in a letter last week, warning that only planes with retrofitted altimeters would be allowed to land under low-visibility conditions. He said more than 80% of the U.S. fleet had been retrofitted, but a significant number of planes, including many operated by foreign airlines, have not been upgraded.
“This means on bad-weather, low-visibility days in particular, there could be increased delays and cancellations,” Buttigieg wrote. He said airlines with planes awaiting retrofitting should adjust their schedules to avoid stranding passengers.
Airlines say the FAA was slow to approve standards for upgrading the radio altimeters and supply-chain problems have made it difficult for manufacturers to produce enough of the devices. Nicholas Calio, head of the Airlines for America, complained about a rush to modify planes “amid pressure from the telecommunications companies.”
Jason Ambrosi, a Delta pilot and president of the Air Line Pilots Association, accused the FCC of granting 5G licenses without consulting aviation interests, which he said “has left the safest aviation system in the world at increased risk.” But, he said, “Ultimately, we will be able to address the impacts of 5G.”
Associated Press Business Writer Michael Liedtke contributed to this story from San Ramon, California.
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NEW YORK (AP) — After a series of fires involving faulty e-bike batteries including a recent blaze that claimed four lives, New York City officials announced Sunday that they are receiving a $25 million emergency grant from the federal government to fund scores of charging stations citywide.
Mayor Eric Adams hopes the stations will provide a safer way for delivery workers, who rely on e-bikes to efficiently do their jobs, to recharge lithium batteries used to power their bicycles.
“This means that residents will no longer need to charge the e-bikes in their apartments — what we find to be extremely dangerous, particularly when you charge them overnight,” Adams said at a news conference Sunday. He was flanked by the state’s two U.S. senators who helped secure the funding from the US. Department of Transportation.
Drivers in New York City will be charged extra in tolls to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street as part of a long-stalled congestion pricing plan.
New York’s former lieutenant governor and longtime civic leader Richard Ravitch has died at the age of 89.
New York City will add the festival of Diwali to the list of public school holidays in recognition of the growth of the city’s South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities.
The announcement comes after a lithium ion battery caught fire and engulfed an e-bike shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The fire and thick smoke spread to apartments above the shop, killing four people and injuring three others, including a responding firefighter.
In the days since, New York City officials sought the public’s help in cracking down on unsafe e-bike shops and fire officials issued at least 10 citations to shops for improper handling of the batteries.
City officials said they’d previously fined the shop for its e-bike charging practices, though inspectors reportedly did not check to see if the store was selling reconditioned batteries on a recent visit.
Under new guidelines, fire officials will be directed to respond to complaints about e-bike batteries within 12 hours, rather than the previous policy of three days.
New York City has seen over 100 fires and 13 deaths this year linked to e-bikes, more than double the total number of fatalities from last year, officials said.
The city has issued nearly 500 summonses related to e-bikes, which can result in fines between $1,000 and $5,000.
The batteries can overheat if defective or improperly charged.
Adams had announced in March that the city was working to establish charging stations. The grant would fund an initial 170 charging units in about 50 locations.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, said the charging stations proved “new hope” to prevent “these fires that start from shoddy China-made lithium ion batteries and chargers,” he said during the press conference.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she and Schumer were working on legislation to establish safety standards for batteries.
“If passed,” she said, “it would take improperly manufactured batteries off the market.”
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President Joe Biden said Monday his administration will write new regulations that will require airlines to compensate air travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline’s control.
The compensation would be in addition to ticket refunds when the airline is at fault for a flight being canceled or significantly delayed. It would give consumers in the United States protections similar to those in the European Union.
“I know how frustrated many of you are with the service you get from your U.S. airlines,” Biden said. “That’s why our top priority has been to get American air travelers a better deal.”
Biden added, “You deserve more than just getting the price of your ticket (refunded) — you deserve to be fully compensated. Your time matters, the impact on your life matters.”
Biden’s pledge comes just weeks before the start of the peak summer travel season, when air travel could exceed pre-coronavirus pandemic records.
Officials at the Transportation Department, which will write the new rules, said they didn’t have a precise date for when they expect to finish, but indicated they are working to quickly publish a notice that is required to get the process started.
As outlined at the White House by Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the rules would focus on cancellations and long delays caused by things such as mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew.
Airlines for America, which represents the biggest carriers, said in a statement that airlines have no incentive to delay or cancel flights. The trade group said more than half of cancellations in 2022 and 2023 have been caused by “extreme weather” or air traffic control outages.
“Carriers have taken responsibility for challenges within their control and continue working diligently to improve operational reliability,” including hiring more workers and reducing their schedules, the group said.
After the pandemic hit, airlines received $54 billion in federal aid that included a prohibition on layoffs, but that didn’t prevent them from paying tens of thousands of workers to quit or retire early.
Airlines have added about 118,000 workers since November 2020 and now have 5% more employees than before the pandemic, according to Transportation Department figures.
The rate of canceled flights has declined to 1.6% so far this year, compared with 2.1% in the same period last year. However, delays are slightly more common and a few minutes longer on average, according to data from tracking service FlightAware.
Currently, when an airline cancels a flight for any reason, consumers can demand a refund of the unused part of their ticket and certain extras that they might have paid to the airline, such as fees for checking a bag or getting a seat assignment. Airlines often try to persuade consumers to accept a travel voucher instead of a refund.
After widespread flight disruptions last summer, the Transportation Department posted an online dashboard to let consumers compare airline policies on refunds and compensation.
The Transportation Department is expanding the site to indicate when airlines offer cash, travel vouchers or frequent-flyer miles as compensation for flight disruptions under their control.
None of the major U.S. airlines offer cash for controllable cancellations or long delays, only Alaska Airlines offers frequent-flyer miles, and only Alaska and JetBlue provide travel credits, according to the dashboard.
Biden and Buttigieg credited the dashboard with pushing the 10 largest U.S. airlines to promise to provide cash or vouchers for meals when a carrier-caused cancellation forces passengers to wait at least three hours for another flight. Nine of the 10 — all but Frontier Airlines — also promise under those circumstances to pay for accommodations for passengers stranded overnight.
Questions arose again around reimbursing consumers for out-of-pocket costs after Southwest Airlines canceled nearly 17,000 flights during a December meltdown in service. The Transportation and Justice departments are investigating whether Southwest scheduled more flights than it realistically could handle.
A report last month from the congressional Government Accountability Office blamed airlines for a surge in cancellations as air travel began to recover in 2021 and early 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration has also created disruptions due to technology outages and staffing shortages. The FAA recently encouraged airlines to reduce flights to and from major New York airports this summer because it doesn’t have enough air traffic controllers at a key facility.
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Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.
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DALLAS (AP) — The U.S. Transportation Department said Wednesday it is investigating whether Southwest Airlines deceived customers by knowingly scheduling more flights in late December than it realistically could handle.
The department said that scheduling too many flights would be considered an unfair and deceptive practice under federal law.
“DOT is in the initial phase of a rigorous and comprehensive investigation into Southwest Airlines’ holiday debacle that stranded millions,” the department said in a statement.
The Transportation Department added that it will hold Southwest accountable if the airline fails to follow federal rules about refunds and reimbursing customers for expenses when flights are canceled. The agency said it will “leverage the full extent of its investigative and enforcement power” to protect consumers.
Southwest said its holiday schedule “was thoughtfully designed” with “a solid plan to operate it, and with ample staffing.”
“Our systems and processes became stressed while working to recover from multiple days of flight cancellations across 50 airports in the wake of an unprecedented storm,” Southwest said in a statement. The airline pledged to cooperate with any government inquiries and is “focused on learning from this event” and reducing the risk of a repeat.
Southwest canceled about 16,700 flights over the last 10 days of December. The meltdown began with a winter storm, but Southwest continued to struggle long after most other airlines had recovered, in part because its crew-scheduling system became overloaded. Union officials said they had warned the airline for years about the system, especially after similar but less severe flight disruptions in October 2021.
Dallas-based Southwest eventually resorting to cutting its schedule by about two-thirds to reset crews and planes, which it did successfully.
The airline hired consulting firm Oliver Wyman to study what went wrong. CEO Robert Jordan has said the company might speed up spending on some technology upgrades as a result of the crisis, but that he wants to complete the review first.
Southwest said this month that the cancellations will cost it up to $825 million in lost revenue and higher expenses including premium pay for employees and reimbursing customers for hotels and alternate flights. As a result, the company is expected to post a fourth-quarter loss when it reports results on Thursday.
The airline is also dealing with damage to its reputation for customer service. Analysts believe some customers may avoid Southwest for a short time, although airlines have usually bounced back quickly from other service failures.
The chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has promised to hold hearings on disruptions like the one at Southwest.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation said it will look into flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines that have left travelers stranded at airports across the country amid an intense winter storm that has killed dozens of people.
Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was the most affected. About 4,000 domestic U.S. flights were cancelled Monday, according to the tracking website FlightAware, and 2,900 of those were Southwest’s. Nearly 2,500 more flights had already been canceled as of 5 a.m. Tuesday and problems are likely to continue at least into Wednesday.
Southwest spokesman Jay McVay said at a press conference in Houston that cancellations snowballed as storm systems moved across the country, leaving flight crews and planes out of place
“So we’ve been chasing our tails, trying to catch up and get back to normal safely, which is our number one priority as quickly as we could,” he said. “And that’s exactly how we ended up where we are today.”
Passengers stood in long lines trying to rebook their flights. The Department of Transportation said on Twitter that it was “concerned by Southwest’s unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays & reports of lack of prompt customer service.” The tweet said the department would look into whether Southwest could have done anything about the cancellations and whether the airline was complying with its customer service plan.
Southwest CEO Bob Jordan told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that the airline would operate just over a third of its usual schedule to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be.
“We had a tough day today. In all likelihood we’ll have another tough day tomorrow as we work our way out of this,” he said Monday evening. “This is the largest scale event that I’ve ever seen.”
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The U.S. Department of Transportation said it will look into flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines that have left travelers stranded at airports across the country amid an intense winter storm that has killed dozens of people.
Many airlines were forced to cancel flights due to the weather, but Southwest was the most affected. About 4,000 domestic U.S. flights were cancelled Monday, according to the tracking website FlightAware, and 2,900 of those were Southwest’s. Nearly 2,500 more flights had already been canceled as of 5 a.m. Tuesday and problems are likely to continue at least into Wednesday.
Southwest spokesman Jay McVay said at a press conference in Houston that cancellations snowballed as storm systems moved across the country, leaving flight crews and planes out of place
“So we’ve been chasing our tails, trying to catch up and get back to normal safely, which is our number one priority as quickly as we could,” he said. “And that’s exactly how we ended up where we are today.”
Passengers stood in long lines trying to rebook their flights. The Department of Transportation said on Twitter that it was “concerned by Southwest’s unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays & reports of lack of prompt customer service.” The tweet said the department would look into whether Southwest could have done anything about the cancellations and whether the airline was complying with its customer service plan.
Southwest CEO Bob Jordan told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that the airline would operate just over a third of its usual schedule to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be.
“We had a tough day today. In all likelihood we’ll have another tough day tomorrow as we work our way out of this,” he said Monday evening. “This is the largest scale event that I’ve ever seen.”
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Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights this week as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the holidays.
As of Friday afternoon, more than 4,800 flights into or out of U.S. airports had been canceled, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.
Wendell Davis, who plays basketball with a team in France, was scheduled to fly from Paris to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday. After multiple cancellations, Davis was still at O’Hare airport in Chicago on Friday. He debated driving to Columbus but decided not to. Instead, he booked a hotel room while he waits for a scheduled flight to Cincinnati on Christmas Day.
“Everyone’s going through the same problems right now,” he said with a laugh. “We’ve just got to stay positive. Anger is not going to help us at all.”
Staying calm —— and knowing your rights —— can go a long way if your flight is canceled, experts say. Here’s some of their advice for dealing with a flight cancellation:
MY FLIGHT WAS CANCELED. WHAT NEXT?
If you still want to get to your destination, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline executive, stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.
WILL I HAVE TO PAY A CHANGE FEE IF I REBOOK MY FLIGHTS?
Major airlines —— including Delta, American, Southwest, Air Canada, Alaska, Frontier and Spirit —— are waiving change fees during the storm, which gives travelers more flexibility as they shift their plans. But Ebenhoch said travelers should read the fine print carefully. If you book a return flight outside the window that the airline sets, you may have to pay for the difference in fares, for example.
CAN I ASK TO BE BOOKED ON ANOTHER AIRLINE’S FLIGHT?
Yes. Airlines aren’t required to put you on another airline’s flight, but they can, and sometimes do, according to the DOT. Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com, recommends researching alternate flights while you’re waiting to talk to an agent. Agents are typically under a lot of pressure when a flight is canceled, so giving them some options helps.
Ebenhoch also suggests looking for alternative airports that are close to your original destination.
IS THE AIRLINE REQUIRED TO GIVE ME A HOTEL ROOM, OR OTHER COMPENSATION?
No. Each airline has its own policies about providing for customers whose flights are canceled, according to the DOT. But many airlines do offer accommodations, so you should check with their staff.
I’M FACING A LONG WAIT TO REBOOK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If someone in your traveling party is at a higher level in a frequent flier program, use the number reserved for that level to call the airline, Ebenhoch said. You can also try calling an international help desk for the airline, since those agents have the ability to make changes.
HOW CAN I AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE?
Ebenhoch said nonstop flights and morning flights are generally the most reliable if you can book them. If you’re worried about making it to the airport in time for a morning flight, he said, consider staying at a hotel connected to the airport the night before. And consider flying outside of busy dates; this year, the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration is expecting big crowds on Dec. 30, for example.
Klee recommends comparing airlines’ policies on the DOT’s service dashboard: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard. He also suggests reserving multiple flights and then canceling the ones you don’t use, as long as the airline will refund your money or convert it into a credit for a future flight.
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Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights this week as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the holidays.
As of Friday afternoon, more than 4,800 flights into or out of U.S. airports had been canceled, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.
Wendell Davis, who plays basketball with a team in France, was scheduled to fly from Paris to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday. After multiple cancellations, Davis was still at O’Hare airport in Chicago on Friday. He debated driving to Columbus but decided not to. Instead, he booked a hotel room while he waits for a scheduled flight to Cincinnati on Christmas Day.
“Everyone’s going through the same problems right now,” he said with a laugh. “We’ve just got to stay positive. Anger is not going to help us at all.”
Staying calm —— and knowing your rights —— can go a long way if your flight is canceled, experts say. Here’s some of their advice for dealing with a flight cancellation:
MY FLIGHT WAS CANCELED. WHAT NEXT?
If you still want to get to your destination, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline executive, stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.
WILL I HAVE TO PAY A CHANGE FEE IF I REBOOK MY FLIGHTS?
Major airlines —— including Delta, American, Southwest, Air Canada, Alaska, Frontier and Spirit —— are waiving change fees during the storm, which gives travelers more flexibility as they shift their plans. But Ebenhoch said travelers should read the fine print carefully. If you book a return flight outside the window that the airline sets, you may have to pay for the difference in fares, for example.
CAN I ASK TO BE BOOKED ON ANOTHER AIRLINE’S FLIGHT?
Yes. Airlines aren’t required to put you on another airline’s flight, but they can, and sometimes do, according to the DOT. Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com, recommends researching alternate flights while you’re waiting to talk to an agent. Agents are typically under a lot of pressure when a flight is canceled, so giving them some options helps.
Ebenhoch also suggests looking for alternative airports that are close to your original destination.
IS THE AIRLINE REQUIRED TO GIVE ME A HOTEL ROOM, OR OTHER COMPENSATION?
No. Each airline has its own policies about providing for customers whose flights are canceled, according to the DOT. But many airlines do offer accommodations, so you should check with their staff.
I’M FACING A LONG WAIT TO REBOOK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If someone in your traveling party is at a higher level in a frequent flier program, use the number reserved for that level to call the airline, Ebenhoch said. You can also try calling an international help desk for the airline, since those agents have the ability to make changes.
HOW CAN I AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE?
Ebenhoch said nonstop flights and morning flights are generally the most reliable if you can book them. If you’re worried about making it to the airport in time for a morning flight, he said, consider staying at a hotel connected to the airport the night before. And consider flying outside of busy dates; this year, the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration is expecting big crowds on Dec. 30, for example.
Klee recommends comparing airlines’ policies on the DOT’s service dashboard: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard. He also suggests reserving multiple flights and then canceling the ones you don’t use, as long as the airline will refund your money or convert it into a credit for a future flight.
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TOPEKA, Kan. — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs’ worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.
Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”
“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”
The Dec. 7 spill forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.
The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City’s KCUR-FM reported this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.
TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.
The Kansas spill was the largest onshore in nine years and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety arm.
Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.
The company has not identified the Kansas spill’s cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn’t reopen until the cause is known.
“Isn’t the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.
The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.
Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state’s policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told The Topeka Capital-Journal in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
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TOPEKA, Kan. — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs’ worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.
Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”
“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”
The Dec. 7 spill forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.
The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City’s KCUR-FM reported this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.
TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.
The Kansas spill was the largest onshore in nine years and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety arm.
Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.
The company has not identified the Kansas spill’s cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn’t reopen until the cause is known.
“Isn’t the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.
The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.
Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state’s policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told The Topeka Capital-Journal in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
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TOPEKA, Kan. — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs’ worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.
Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”
“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”
The Dec. 7 spill forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.
The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City’s KCUR-FM reported this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.
TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.
The Kansas spill was the largest onshore in nine years and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety arm.
Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.
The company has not identified the Kansas spill’s cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn’t reopen until the cause is known.
“Isn’t the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.
The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.
Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state’s policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told The Topeka Capital-Journal in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
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TOPEKA, Kan. — A ruptured pipe dumped enough oil this week into a northeastern Kansas creek to nearly fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, becoming the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in nine years and surpassing all the previous ones on the same pipeline system combined, according to federal data.
The Keystone pipeline spill in a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City, also was the biggest in the system’s history, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The operator, Canada-based TC Energy, said the pipeline that runs from Canada to Oklahoma lost about 14,000 barrels, or 588,000 gallons.
The spill raised questions for environmentalists and safety advocates about whether TC Energy should keep a federal government permit that has allowed the pressure inside parts of its Keystone system — including the stretch through Kansas — to exceed the typical maximum permitted levels. With Congress facing a potential debate on reauthorizing regulatory programs, the chair of a House subcommittee on pipeline safety took note of the spill Friday.
A U.S. Government Accountability Office report last year said there had been 22 previous spills along the Keystone system since it began operating in 2010, most of them on TC Energy property and fewer than 20 barrels. The total from those 22 events was a little less than 12,000 barrels, the report said.
“I’m watching this situation closely to learn more about this latest oil leak and inform ways to prevent future releases and protect public safety and the environment,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., of New Jersey, tweeted.
TC Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the spill has been contained. The EPA said the company built an earthen dam across the creek about 4 miles downstream from the pipeline rupture to prevent the oil from moving into larger waterways.
Randy Hubbard, the county’s emergency management director, said the oil traveled only about a quarter mile and there didn’t appear to be any wildlife deaths.
The company said it is doing around-the-clock air-quality checks and other environmental monitoring. It also was using multiple trucks that amount to giant wet vacuums to suck up the oil.
Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, and the company said it still is evaluating when it can reopen the system.
The EPA said no drinking water wells were affected and oil-removal efforts will continue into next week. No one was evacuated, but the Kansas Department of Health and Environment warned people not to go into the creek or allow animals to wade in.
“At the time of the incident, the pipeline was operating within its design and regulatory approval requirements,” the company said in a statement.
The nearly 2,700-mile (4345-kilometer) Keystone pipeline carries thick, Canadian tar-sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas, with about 600,000 barrels moving per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma. Concerns about spills fouling water helped spur opposition to a new, 1,200 mile (1,900 kilometers) Keystone XL pipeline, and the company pulled the plug last year after President Joe Biden canceled a permit for it.
Environmentalists said the heavier tar sands oil is not only more toxic than lighter crude but can sink in water instead of floating on top. Bill Caram, executive director of the advocacy Pipeline Safety Trust, said cleanup even sometimes can include scrubbing individual rocks in a creek bed.
“This is going to be months, maybe even years before we get the full handle on this disaster and know the extent of the damage and get it all cleaned up,” said Zack Pistora, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club at the Kansas Statehouse.
Pipelines often are considered safer than shipping oil by railcar or truck, but large spills can create significant environmental damage. The American Petroleum Institute said Friday that companies have robust monitoring to detect leaks, cracks, corrosion and other problems, not only through control centers but with employees who walk alongside pipelines.
Still, in September 2013, a Tesoro Corp. pipeline in North Dakota ruptured and spilled 20,600 barrels, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.
A more expensive spill happened in July 2010, when an Enbridge Inc. pipeline in Michigan ruptured and spilled more than 20,000 barrels into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Hundreds of homes and businesses were evacuated.
The Keystone pipeline’s previous largest spill came in 2017, when more than 6,500 barrels spilled near Amherst, South Dakota, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released last year. The second largest, 4,515 barrels, was in 2019 near Edinburg, North Dakota.
The Petroleum Institute said pipelines go through tests before opening using pressures that exceed the company’s planned levels and are designed to account for what they’ll carry and changes in the ground they cover. An arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation oversees pipeline safety and permitted TC Energy to have greater pressures on the Keystone system because the company used pipe made from better steel.
But Caram said: “When we see multiple failures like this of such large size and a relatively short amount of time after that pressure has increased, I think it’s time to question that.”
In its report last year to Congress, the GAO said Keystone’s accident history was similar to other oil pipelines, but spills have gotten larger in recent years. Investigations ordered by regulators found that the four worst spills were caused by flaws in design or pipe manufacturing during construction.
TC Energy’s permit included more than 50 special conditions, mostly for its design, construction and operation, the GAO report said. The company said in response to the 2021 report that it took “decisive action” in recent years to improve safety, including developing new technology for detecting cracks and an independent review of its pipeline integrity program.
The company said Friday that it would conduct a full investigation into the causes of the spill.
The spill caused a brief surge in crude prices Thursday. Benchmark U.S. oil was up more modestly — about 1% — on Friday morning as fears of a supply disruption were overshadowed by bigger concerns about an economic downturn in the U.S. and other major countries that would reduce demand for oil.
The pipeline runs through Chris and Bill Pannbacker’s family farm. Bill Pannbacker, a farmer and stockman, said the company told him that the issues with the pipeline there probably will not be resolved until after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
The hill where the breach happened was a landmark to locals and used to be a popular destination for hayrides, Pannbacker said.
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Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas and Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa. David Koenig contributed reporting from Dallas.
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
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SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Four people were killed in a fiery plane crash Friday morning northeast of Seattle, authorities said Saturday.
The single-engine Cessna 208B crashed in a field, the Federal Aviation Administration said, not too far from a small airport near Snohomish. The four deaths were reported after the wreckage of the plane owned by an Alaska company was searched with the help of the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe told The Seattle Times. First responders initially reported Friday that two people had died.
The FAA has yet to give other details about the plane but according to aviation tracking website Flight Aware, a Cessna 208B with identifier number N2069B departed Renton Airport at around 9:25 a.m. and then appears to have crashed near U.S 2 at around 10:20 a.m. The highway was temporarily closed after the collision.
The aircraft was N2069B owned by Copper Mountain Aviation of Alaska, according to the FAA website.
A flight route map shows the plane flew north and completed several circles near Everett before descending 5,100 feet (1,1554 meters) near U.S. 2.
The names of the people who died haven’t been released. Authorities have said their identities would be released later by the county Medical Examiner’s Office.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
Drone footage and photos posted by Fox News 13 show the badly burned wreckage in a field next to an irrigation ditch.
People had tried to fight the fire using handheld extinguishers, but were unsuccessful because of the “large volume of fire,” Snohomish Fire District 4 said Friday. Officials said the plane was difficult to access because of the “terrain, vegetation and irrigation canals.”
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Frontier Airlines and five foreign carriers have agreed to refund more than $600 million combined to travelers whose trips were canceled or significantly delayed since the start of the pandemic, federal officials said Monday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said it also fined the same airlines more than $7 million for delaying refunds so long that they violated consumer-protection rules.
The largest U.S. airlines, which accounted for the bulk of complaints about refunds, avoided fines, and an official said no other U.S. carriers are being investigated for potential fines.
Consumers flooded the agency with thousands of complaints about their inability to get refunds when the airlines canceled huge numbers of flights after the pandemic hit the U.S. in early 2020. It was by far the leading category of complaints.
“When Americans buy a ticket on an airline, we expect to get to our destination safely, reliably and affordably, and our job at DOT is to hold airlines accountable for these expectations,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
The department said Frontier Airlines is refunding $222 million and paying a $2.2 million civil penalty.
In a consent order, the government charged that Frontier changed its definition of a significant delay to make refunds less likely, and an online system to process credits went down for a 15-day period in 2020.
Frontier spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said the Denver-based airline issued nearly $100 million in “goodwill refunds,” including to people with non-refundable tickets who canceled on their own and were not entitled to a refund under federal law.
The refunds “demonstrate Frontier’s commitment to treating our customers with fairness and flexibility,” de la Cruz said.
The Transportation Department said TAP Portugal will refund $126.5 million and pay a $1.1 million fine; Air India will pay $121.5 million in refunds and a $1.4 million penalty; Aeromexico will pay $13.6 million and a $900,000 fine; Israel’s El Al will pay $61.9 million and a $900,000 penalty; and Colombia’s Avianca will pay $76.8 million and a $750,000 fine.
“We have more enforcement actions and investigations underway and there may be more news to come by way of fines,” Buttigieg said during a call with reporters.
However, there will be no fines for other U.S. airlines because they responded “shortly after” the Transportation Department reminded them in April 2020 of their obligation to provide quick refunds, said Blane Workie, the assistant general counsel for the Transportation Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.
“We do not have any pending cases against other U.S. carriers. Our remaining cases are against foreign air carriers,” Workie said on the same call with Buttigieg.
That did not satisfy consumer advocates, who said that the major U.S. airlines also violated rules around refunds — even if they took corrective steps more quickly.
“Frontier was a bad player in all this, and they deserve to be fined, and we’re glad they are paying the refunds they were supposed to pay, but we are very critical of how the DOT just seems to not want to go after the biggest fish, the ones causing the most problems,” said Bill McGee of the American Economic Liberties Project, a non-partisan group that opposes concentrated industrial power.
In 2020, United Airlines had the most refund-related complaints filed with DOT — more than 10,000 — although smaller Frontier had a higher rate of complaints. Air Canada, El Al and TAP Portugal were next, both over 5,000, followed by American Airlines and Frontier, both topping 4,000.
Air Canada agreed last year to pay $4.5 million to settle similar U.S. allegations of slow refunds and was given credit of $2.5 million for refunds. The Transportation Department initially sought $25.5 million in that case.
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This story has been updated to correct that five foreign airlines were fined, not four.
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