Alaska Airlines responded to a weekend of woe for travelers, offering an apology for hundreds of late flights and delayed baggage.
The airline blamed a high number of sick call-ins by baggage handlers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport severely impacting loading duties during the busy holiday weekend.
More than 200 flights were delayed with some passengers experiencing disruption for a full 24 hours due to baggage delays.
The airline admitted it ‘dropped the ball.’
"We sincerely apologize to our guests who endured considerable inconvenience and understandable frustration at Sea-Tac Airport over the past two days. With many different factors working against us, we dropped the ball, and by doing that, created an awful holiday travel experience," it said in a message on its website.
The airline said it would provide discounted fares on future flights for impacted customers.
Unsurprisingly, Christmas goodwill was severely lacking from customers caught up in the disruption with many venting their frustration online.
