As this week’s flight cancellation wave led by Southwest Airlines drags on, other major carriers have announced they would institute price caps — particularly in cities where Southwest operates — to limit the financial burden on stranded flyers trying to reach their destinations.
Among those carriers that have announced price limits are American, United, and Delta Air Lines, all of which said they would limit fares in all markets where Southwest operates, through Jan. 2.
But despite those announcements, airfare data show prices to and from many affected destinations remain sky high.
Google flight info shows one-way trips out of airports like Nashville International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport, and Chicago Midway International Airport — all Southwest hubs — show prices surging over the next few days.
For instance, a one-way ticket from Nashville to Denver International Airport — two hubs heavily affected by this week’s flight cancellations — leaving Thursday starts at $899.
A one-way flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles International Airport leaving Thursday starts at $1,527.
Many flyers have vented their frustrations about the extraordinarily high airfares on social media.
Suzanne Durham, a music industry professional based in Nashville, had spent Christmas in Boston and was scheduled to return home Monday on Southwest. After her original flight got canceled, she was able to rebook another flight on Southwest leaving later in the week, but had a feeling that the flight would be canceled, too.
So she decided to book an additional flight on American Airlines for more than $900, she said.
“When I was booking that flight, I couldn’t believe it was so expensive,” Durham said in a follow-up interview. She said American did not specify which class the ticket was in, and it turned out to be business class.
“It wasn’t even first class,” Durham said. “They are absolutely price gouging in my opinion.”
Durham vented her frustrations on Twitter Monday and said an American Airlines representative responded by noting “fares are up to some destinations.”
An American Airlines representative pointed NBC News to a tweet buried in response to a user saying select cities would see price caps. The representative declined to share further details.
Other flyers shared similar stories on Twitter of facing much higher fares.
A U.S. Department of Transportation representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an interview with NextStar Media on Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg applauded airlines for instituting the price caps.
“Nobody should be taking advantage of the situation,” Buttigieg said, though he acknowledged the department may have limited legal authority to substantially address the situation.
“We’re really expecting airlines to go beyond the legal minimum and to do the right thing here,” he said.
“It shouldn’t take an enforcement action from our department in order to get people taken care of, or get them their money back.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
