社評1230 西南航空之大災難

西南航空之大災難

全美各地経過了五天冰天雪地之惡劣天氣候後， 許多大航空公司包括聯合、 美國航空公司之班機都已経回帰正常。唯有總部設在達拉斯的西南航空公司取消了二千五百個航班， 而且這些班次還無法回覆 ，以致造成成千上萬的旅客造成極大之困擾及金錢上之損失。

西南航空是全美最大之航空公司 ，近二十年來 它是以點對點之飛行方式搶佔了許多中小城市之商機。

代表超過一萬名飛行員的公會人士表示， 由於電腦系統之失控， 許多駕駛及航空服務員在地面等候許多小時 ，並被迫在機場和旅客就地過夜， 公會曾経從九十年代建議公司更新電腦軟件， 但至今尚未改進。

多年來，我也是西南航空之常客， 経常往返於休斯敦和達拉斯之間， 由于每小時都有航班 ，可以早出晚帰， 非常方便。

近年來這家公司之迅速發展及開拓國際市塲， 讓它成為全美最大之航空公司 ，也許是擴充太快 ，管理上出了問題， 因而造成大部分之班次被迫取消。

事關許多消費者之權益 ，交通部及國會也將展開調查， 也要保障消費者之權益。

                                                Airlines Flight Disaster

After more than five days of a record-breaking winter storm, many airlines are back up and running. Only Southwest Airlines canceled 2,500 flights, 62% of their planned flights. The airlines said they will plan only one-third of scheduled flights for the time being. Some passengers who could not rebook their flights rented cars and spent thousands of dollars to buy tickets on other airlines.

Over the past several years, Southwest Airlines has used a plot-to-point route model that often lets passengers fly directly without having to stop over a central hub so that they can save many hours of travel time.

For many years I have also been a regular passenger of Southwest Airlines. I often travel between Houston and Dallas because there are flights every hour. I can leave early and travel late. It is very convenient.

In recent years the company’s rapid expansion of the international market has made it the largest airlines in America.

It is related to the fights of consumers and the Department of Transportation and Congress are ready to look into it.