I’m going to tell you a story about the employees behind the Southwest meltdown who spent much of their holiday attempting to right the ship in a situation they are describing as a “system failure.”

There is speculation and there are facts — and one of those is that Southwest frontline workers, such as desk clerks, airline attendants and pilots, got cussed at, screamed at and spit on by frustrated customers.

“This was the meltdown of a company,” said one who wished to go unnamed for fear of being fired. “Heads should roll for this!”

Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with union leaders who represent Southwest’s flight attendants and pilots.

A statement from a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson cited the Southwest pilots union as telling Buttigieg in meetings today that “many flight attendants and pilots are stranded alongside passengers, sleeping on cots or having to book their own hotel rooms. He also conveyed to Southwest’s CEO that he expects Southwest to do right by their pilots and flight attendants and all their workers — in these situations.”

According to FlightAware, Southwest had cancelled nearly 2600 flights across the country as of around noon Tuesday. Spirit had 90 cancellations and United canceled 72. At Denver International Airport Monday, 10,000 bags were piled end to end tagged and waiting along one of the carousels.

The customers who belonged to those bags may be needing medicine or missing much needed clothing. Since this was the holidays, they may contain gifts.

As we wait to find out exactly who is to blame for this mess, consider the acts of kindness which gave people even the slightest wisp of joy. Like the Southwest pilot who provided hot coffee to stranded passengers on a flight from Baltimore to Louisville. One passenger watched a pilot lug bag after bag from the plane onto a waiting platform.

At DIA, workers who likely would rather have been at home with their own families showed up by the dozens to deliver blankets and snacks to weary travelers trying to get some rest. Restaurants on the Denver concourses stretched their hours.

Darrel Dawson is a Southwest “refugee” who got caught up in mountains of delays and cancellations but finally made it home, thanks in part to the patience of “diligent gate agents.”

Dawson is upset at how staff was treated during the Holiday Travel Meltdown.

“Stop having to be reminded to be kind. It’s getting old having to keep saying it,” he said.

We had a couple of Southwest family debacles over the holiday, like long drives home, canceled plans and lost luggage.

But sleeping on an airport floor is still better than sleeping on a street corner.

I’m going to tell you a story about the employees behind the Southwest meltdown who spent much of their holiday attempting to right the ship in a situation they are describing as a “system failure.”  

There is speculation and there are facts — and one of those is that Southwest frontline workers, such as desk clerks, airline attendants and pilots, got cussed at, screamed at and spit on by frustrated customers.

“This was the meltdown of a company,” said one who wished to go unnamed for fear of being fired. “Heads should roll for this!”

Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with union leaders who represent Southwest’s flight attendants and pilots.

A statement from a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson cited the Southwest pilots union as telling Buttigieg in meetings today that “many flight attendants and pilots are stranded alongside passengers, sleeping on cots or having to book their own hotel rooms. He also conveyed to Southwest’s CEO that he expects Southwest to do right by their pilots and flight attendants and all their workers — in these situations.”

According to FlightAware, Southwest had cancelled nearly 2600 flights across the country as of around noon Tuesday. Spirit had 90 cancellations and United canceled 72. At Denver International Airport Monday, 10,000 bags were piled end to end tagged and waiting along one of the carousels.

The customers who belonged to those bags may be needing medicine or missing much needed clothing. Since this was the holidays, they may contain gifts.

As we wait to find out exactly who is to blame for this mess, consider the acts of kindness which gave people even the slightest wisp of joy. Like the Southwest pilot who provided hot coffee to stranded passengers on a flight from Baltimore to Louisville. One passenger watched a pilot lug bag after bag from the plane onto a waiting platform.

At DIA, workers who likely would rather have been at home with their own families showed up by the dozens to deliver blankets and snacks to weary travelers trying to get some rest. Restaurants on the Denver concourses stretched their hours.

Darrel Dawson is a Southwest “refugee” who got caught up in mountains of delays and cancellations but finally made it home, thanks in part to the patience of “diligent gate agents.”

Dawson is upset at how staff was treated during the Holiday Travel Meltdown.

“Stop having to be reminded to be kind. It’s getting old having to keep saying it,” he said.

We had a couple of Southwest family debacles over the holiday, like long drives home, canceled plans and lost luggage.

But sleeping on an airport floor is still better than sleeping on a street corner.