Biden: Administration working to hold airlines accountable over flight cancellations

President Biden on Tuesday said his administration will hold airlines accountable after mass flight cancellations snarled travel after Christmas Day.

“Thousands of flights nationwide have been canceled around the holidays. Our Administration is working to ensure airlines are held accountable,” Biden tweeted, urging customers who were affected to visit the Department of Transportation’s website to see if they are entitled to compensation.

Depending on the circumstances of a canceled or delayed flight, customers may be owed vouchers or a refund or may be eligible to have the cost of a rebooked flight covered under an agreement between airlines.

Thousands of Americans had their holiday travel upended because of widespread flight cancellations this week in the aftermath of a massive winter storm that has affected much of the country.

Southwest Airlines has been the biggest source of trouble for travelers, canceling more than 60 percent of its flights on Monday and Tuesday. The airline has said it will likely take a few days to get back to its normal flying schedule.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said he will weigh in on the issues at some point on Tuesday.

Biden has previously targeted airlines over so-called junk fees added to the price of tickets, arguing they were a source of added costs for many Americans at a time when prices were already rising due to inflation.