What to Know
- The travel misery continued at LAX, as travelers remained stranded and bags either piled up, or were nowhere to be seen.
- Alternative modes of transport were getting booked up, including Greyhound and Amtrak.
- Southwest was offering to reimburse travelers for "reasonable" hotel, meal and alternative transportation expenses if customers submit receipts. See the link below to learn how to file a claim.
Three days out from Christmas, and it's still a tough go for travelers heading in and out of LAX.
As many as 2,500 Southwest flights were canceled Wednesday, and hundreds out of LAX, as passengers remain stranded or forced to find alternative ways to get home for the holidays.
There were 111 flight cancellations at LAX in total, and 100 of those were Southwest flights.
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Southwest's CEO issued a video statement Tuesday night amid the rampant cancellations and delays due in part to winter weather, saying on behalf of Southwest that he is "truly sorry."
See live updates on flight statuses out of LAX here at FlightAware.
Traveler Juliette De La Rosa from Austin, Texas, said she has been stranded in LA for five days, and had spent 24 hours at the airport due to cancellations and delays.
She hasn't seen her luggage since Dec. 24.
"I'm here again today. My flight's probably going to be canceled again today to go home, and still no luggage," she said.
Her mother lives in the area, so she said she is thankful for that.
She also said the airport workers seemed overworked, and overwhelmed.
"I haven't been able to get in contact with any Southwest anyone since I've been here. I call and the number just drops. I had to come in person to try and find my luggage today, which is crazy," she said.
She was told a truck was to arrive at 10 a.m. with more luggage, but she is not holding her breath. She assumes if her flight isn't canceled that she may just have to leave without her luggage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his department will be looking into the Southwest Airlines scheduling system, and says the situation has clearly crossed from the realm of being out of the airliner's hands to something else entirely.
Of the 2,714 flights canceled across the nation Wednesday, 2,504 of them were Southwest flights.
Fifty-two departing flights out of John Wayne Airport were canceled as of Tuesday night, while 43 flights out of Burbank Airport were canceled. Thirty two flights out of Long Beach were canceled.
Travelers were also snatching up all alternative ways to get home.
Amtrak tickets heading north were booked next two days.
Rental cars were also becoming harder to find.
Greyhound said tickets heading to Northern California were all booked Wednesday, and there were not many left for Thursday.
Other airlines were stepping up to help in the chaos. Delta Airlines said Wednesday it "capped fares in all the markets Southwest operates" and that the fares are valid through Saturday. American Airlines said it would cap fares as well in "cities severely affected by cancellations." United said it would cap fares in "select cities." The airlines did not elaborate on the caps.
As for what Southwest was trying to do to remedy the situation, the carrier said it would reimburse travelers for "reasonable" hotel, meal and alternative transportation expenses if customers submit receipts.
You can request a refund here.
