Southwest Airlines flights delayed nationwide due to technology problems

Southwest Airlines faced widespread delays on Wednesday afternoon due to a “technology issue” caused by a power outage at one of its data centers near its headquarters in Dallas. The airline confirmed that the issue was brief and that operations resumed once the outage was corrected and computer systems were restarted.

As a result of the technology issue, more than 1,300 Southwest flights were delayed, according to FlightAware. Users also reported difficulties accessing the airline’s website on DownDetector.com. Travelers expressed frustration on social media, prompting the airline to respond to numerous messages.

This is not the first time Southwest has experienced computer issues. In December 2022, the airline faced a major meltdown during a busy holiday travel weekend, resulting in the cancellation of 16,900 flights. Initially blamed on adverse weather, the cancellations were later attributed to problems with the company’s computer technology.

Following the incident, Southwest agreed to pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating consumer protection laws. This fine was the largest ever issued by the DOT for consumer protection violations.

Despite these challenges, Southwest Airlines continues to work towards getting passengers to their destinations quickly and safely, apologizing to customers for any inconvenience caused by the recent technology issue.