On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines executives faced a Senate hearing on the airline’s holiday meltdown. The hearing was prompted by the release of messages from Southwest pilots detailing the chaos that unfolded during the holidays.

The messages, sent between pilots and corporate officials, showed a meltdown unfolding as Southwest struggled to manage hundreds of flight cancellations. In one message, a pilot described the situation as “a mess.”

At the hearing, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly apologized for the holiday travel chaos and admitted that the airline had made mistakes. He also said that Southwest Airlines had implemented new protocols to prevent similar issues in the future.

The Senate Commerce Committee also heard testimony from other Southwest Airlines executives. They discussed the airline’s response to the holiday meltdown, which included providing compensation for affected passengers.

The hearing concluded with senators expressing their dissatisfaction with the airline’s handling of the holiday travel chaos. They also urged Southwest Airlines to take further steps to ensure that similar issues do not occur in the future.

Overall, the hearing highlighted the need for Southwest Airlines to improve its protocols and procedures to prevent future meltdowns.