Southwest Airlines is currently under fire all across the country. With over 2,600 flights canceled all over the United States (more than 62 percent of all domestic flights on Tuesday and Wednesday according to NBC News), the major airline has left thousands of travelers without a way home for the holidays and without a way to their New Year's Eve destination.

According to KCCI, the biggest airport in Iowa isn't immune to the nationwide issues the airline has caused: "At Des Moines International Airport, three departing and two arriving Southwest flights were canceled on Monday."

The cancellations have come due to the significant snowfall and its effects on the east coast. Winter storm Elliott (despite spelling its name wrong -- see the author of this article for correct spelling) has derailed a drastic amount of plans. The cancellations have left people waiting in lines for customer service for hours along with forcing patrons to stay overnight in airports.

The U.S. Department of Transportation released a statement on the issue of so many flights being canceled:

USDOT is concerned by Southwest’s unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays & reports of lack of prompt customer service. The Department will examine whether cancellations were controllable and if Southwest is complying with its customer service plan.

Southwest Airlines released this statement regarding the barrage of cancellations:

We're working with Safety at the forefront to urgently address wide-scale disruption by rebalancing the airline and repositioning Crews and our fleet ultimately to best serve all who plan to travel with us.

Customers on the flights that have been canceled can request a full refund or get flight credit that won't expire.

BRRRR: The 15 Coldest Cities in America

The list below is from Niche. They put together their list of the coldest cities in the county by looking at which ones had "the coldest average low temperatures during the winter months." Keep scrolling to see the 15 coldest cities in the United States.

This Might be the Best Winter AirBnB in Iowa

Looking for a quick, winter getaway in the Hawkeye State? Look no further than this cozy, sunset view cabin in Clarion! There's much more than just hanging by the fire, too!

 

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