Overview

• The Department of Transportation under the Biden administration filed the lawsuit in January 2025, accusing Southwest Airlines of operating 'chronically delayed' flights with unrealistic schedules.
• The Trump administration officially dropped the lawsuit on May 16, 2025, marking a regulatory shift under the new administration.
• The lawsuit focused on delays from April to August 2022 on routes between Chicago–Oakland and Baltimore–Cleveland, with 180 disruptions reported during that period.
• Southwest Airlines defended its operations, attributing the delays to pandemic-related challenges and highlighting post-pandemic investments that improved reliability by 2024.
• The airline welcomed the decision to drop the case, calling it the correct outcome and emphasizing its commitment to operational improvements.