Southwest Airlines Co. 2010-4-14

About this Order

This consent order concerns violations by Southwest Airlines Co. (Southwest) of the Department’s oversales rule, 14 CFR Part 250, and the statutory prohibition against unfair and deceptive practices, 49 U.S.C. § 41712. The violations stem from the carrier’s failure 1) to furnish the required written notice to passengers who were denied boarding (“bumped”) involuntarily, and 2) to provide involuntarily bumped passengers with the appropriate amount and type of denied boarding compensation (DBC) in a timely manner. The order directs Southwest to cease and desist from such further violations and assesses the carrier a civil penalty of $200,000.