✈️ Southwest silver lining

Plus: Schools ban ChatGPT | Friday, January 06, 2023

Open in app View in browser     Axios What's Next By Joann Muller, Jennifer A. Kingson and Alex Fitzpatrick · Jan 06, 2023 Southwest's holiday mess was hell for those caught up in it — but it could result in big, traveler-friendly changes in the long run, Joann reports today. Today's newsletter is 1,059 words ... 4 minutes.     1 big thing: Southwest's silver lining Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios   A combination of regulatory threats and competitive pressure in the wake of Southwest Airlines' disastrous holiday meltdown could make it easier for travelers to assert their rights when travel plans go wrong, Joann Muller reports. Why it matters: Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. flights was canceled or delayed between January and September 2022, according to the Department of Transportation. There's no more vivid example of how bad things can get than Southwest's recent debacle, which affected nearly 1 million travelers at the height of the holiday travel season. What's happening: Southwest's recent failure has reignited discussions about a proposed Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is re-upping a bill he introduced in 2021 that would essentially ensure that airlines give refunds and compensation for extra costs caused by delayed or canceled flights and lost luggage. "Rental cars, hotel, meals, no questions asked, money back," Blumenthal said, per CBS News. Meanwhile: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is threatening to crack down on Southwest if the airline fails to take care of affected customers. "No amount of financial compensation can fully make up for passengers who missed moments with their families that they can never get back — Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and other special events," Buttigieg wrote in a recent letter to Southwest CEO Bob Jordan. "That's why it is so critical for Southwest to begin by reimbursing passengers for those costs that can be measured in dollars and cents." Where it stands: Southwest says it has largely resumed its normal schedule, with a 99.1% completion rate over the New Year's weekend. The airline is still working to reunite customers with their lost luggage and to reimburse passengers caught up in the chaos. In a "goodwill gesture," Southwest is offering 25,000 "Rapid Rewards" points worth $300 toward a future flight — on top of other refunds and reimbursements it has already paid out. The big picture: The Department of Transportation had already been turning up the heat on airlines in the wake of travel disruptions last summer. It's proposing new rules that would enhance airline refund policies and require carriers to be more transparent about surprise add-on fees. The agency also published a new customer service dashboard allowing travelers to see which services and amenities they should receive from particular airlines if they experience delays or cancellations caused by problems within airlines' control, like mechanical or staffing issues. DOT officials say the pressure it's putting on airlines has inspired many to step up their game. Some are now guaranteeing meals and hotel accommodations when a flight is delayed or canceled, for example. The bottom line: Refunds are costing the industry big bucks. From January 2020 through September 2022, airlines issued $29.3 billion in cash refunds — just under $1 billion per month, according to Airlines for America. Cash refunds through the first nine months of 2022 amounted to $8.3 billion, more than all refunds issued in 2021. Share this story.     2. Gaming made accessible Photo: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.   Among Sony's reveals this week at the Consumer Electronics Show: "Project Leonardo," a new PlayStation 5 controller meant for gamers with disabilities, Alex Fitzpatrick reports. Why it matters: Devices like these can make gaming more accessible, as some people have difficulty using the standard controllers that ship with game consoles. Details: Project Leonardo is a "highly customizable controller kit that works 'out of the box' to help many players with disabilities play games more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods," Sony says in a release. Players can use a single Leonardo controller, pair two of them together, or combine one Leonardo and one regular controller, depending on their needs. Yes, but: The device is "currently in development" and doesn't yet have a firm release date. Flashback: Sony rival Microsoft released a similar device, the Xbox Adaptive Controller, back in 2018.     3. Delta launches sustainability lab Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   Delta Air Lines is launching a new innovation lab to accelerate research, design and testing for more sustainable air travel, Joann reports. Why it matters: Aviation accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions. Absent aggressive climate-friendly tech adoption, that share is likely to increase alongside air travel's anticipated growth. Driving the news: Delta says its new Sustainable Skies Lab, announced Thursday at CES in Las Vegas, is unique in the airline industry because it goes beyond financial investments to work collaboratively with tech disruptors hoping to test and launch their ideas. "With aviation being a hard-to-decarbonize industry, none of us can do this alone," the airline's chief sustainability officer, Pam Fletcher, said in a statement. Planned efforts include everything from eliminating single use plastics and electrifying ground equipment to longer-term solutions, such as scaling the use of sustainable aviation fuel and exploring new means of propulsion, like hydrogen. Share this story.     A message from Axios Subscribe to Axios Sneak Peek     Get the must-read political newsletter with the latest scoops and insights into Capitol Hill and the White House. Subscribe for free     4. NYC schools ban ChatGPT Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   New York City school officials have blocked a hot new AI chatbot on district computers, education news site Chalkbeat reports. Why it matters: Teachers and parents have raised concerns that students can use the bot, called ChatGPT, to do their research or assignments for them. What they're saying: "While the tool may be able to provide quick and easy answers to questions, it does not build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for academic and lifelong success," NYC Education Department spokesperson Jenna Lyle told Chalkbeat. Catch up quick: ChatGPT can spit out anything from research papers to essays to poems based on simple text prompts, raising plagiarism concerns. 💬 Alex's thought bubble: I get the impulse here — but I also remember a time when teachers shunned internet research entirely, which now seems shortsighted. This could be a chance to learn about reliable sources, or maybe there's a way to integrate ChatGPT into lesson plans. What do you think? Give us a shout at whatsnext@axios.com.     5. One fun thing: A bottle shop, minus alcohol Marigold stocks nonalcoholic wine, spirits, aperitifs, cocktails and beer. Photo: Audrey Kennedy   A new Minneapolis nonalcoholic bottle shop is tapping into the sober-curious movement, Axios' Audrey Kennedy writes. Driving the news: After cutting out alcohol over two years ago, Erin Flavin recently opened Marigold, a retail shop selling nonalcoholic (NA) liquors, wines and spirits. Why it matters: Though the sober-curious movement and NA cocktails are growing in popularity, many such beverages can be found only in places that also sell alcohol. Marigold's is a comfortable, sober-friendly, boutique-like space with no alcoholic temptations. What to expect: The bright and cheery shop sells an NA version of almost every liquor store staple, including spirits like tequila, wine, cocktail mixtures and beer. Read the rest.     A message from Axios Subscribe to Axios Sneak Peek     Get the must-read political newsletter with the latest scoops and insights into Capitol Hill and the White House. Subscribe for free   Big thanks to What's Next copy editor Amy Stern. Was this email forwarded to you? Get your daily dose of What's Next by signing up here for our free newsletter. Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: