Southwest Airlines forced to cancel more than 1,000 weekend flights due to vaccine mandate

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines has canceled hundreds more flights following a weekend of major service disruptions that it blamed on bad weather and air traffic control issues.

The widespread interruption in service began shortly after the pilots union asked a federal court on Friday to block the airline’s order that all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

But both the company and the union said employees are not conducting a sickout to protest the order.

Southwest canceled more than 360 flights and more than 1,000 others were delayed Monday. The Dallas-based airline canceled 1,900 flights Saturday and Sunday.

1 and 10 Southwest are canceled as of Monday.

As KUSI’s Hunter Sowards reports, the cancellations are affecting some San Diegans travel plans directly.

In this frame grab from cellphone video, passengers look for information on their flights, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, at Dallas Love Field. Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend, blaming the woes on air traffic control issues and weather. (AP Photo/Julie March)