美国国家公共电台 NPR--Southwest moves toward near-normal operations after widespread cancellations

Southwest moves toward near-normal operations after widespread cancellations

Transcript¹

After a tough week for Southwest Airlines travelers, the company says it plans to return to "normal operations with minimal² disruptions" Friday.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

It has been a very bad, no good holiday season for Southwest Airline passengers. April Proveaux was one of them. The Memphis resident was traveling with her family when they got stuck last week at Denver International Airport.

APRIL PROVEAUX: It was negative 3 degrees in Denver, and our jackets were in our suitcase, and so my kids were in short sleeves. And we didn't have anything. We bought some hats and gloves at the airport.

MART?NEZ: Hers was among the thousands of Southwest flights scrapped³ since a massive winter storm started disrupting air travel last week. Democrats⁴ and Republicans in Congress have complained to the airline and the U.S. Department of Transportation for not acting⁵ sooner to protect passengers. Now, we've heard lots of explanations for the meltdown, like old technology and the airline's unusual approach to routing flights. A former employee tells NPR that she recently left Southwest because of the chaotic⁶ scheduling and mandatory⁷ overtime⁸.

HALLY CHAUVIN: This is exactly why this is happening, is 'cause you just keep giving your employees overtime, and you'll fire them if they say no.

MART?NEZ: Hally Chauvin says she often worked 20-hour shifts.

CHAUVIN: I keep saying now, like, to my friends, like, this is why I quit. You know, it seemed like it wasn't really talked about. A lot of the employees there, like, can't really talk about it because it risks their jobs. They can't really, like, post about it on social media or anything.

MART?NEZ: In a statement, Southwest says the recent disruptions are due to crew scheduling issues, not a lack of staffing. The company says it will honor reasonable requests for reimbursement¹⁰ from customers whose flights were canceled or significantly delayed. But April Proveaux is still wondering whether she'll get her money back.

PROVEAUX: I feel nervous that they're going to try to not reimburse⁹ us.

MART?NEZ: Southwest's Chief Commercial Officer Ryan Green recently apologized for the cancellations.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RYAN GREEN: My personal apology on behalf of myself and everyone at Southwest Airlines for all of this.

MART?NEZ: But even after all the hassle, April Proveaux isn't giving up on the airline.

PROVEAUX: I hope they recover. Like, we love Southwest. We've flown them for years, and we're cardholders. We used points to fly this trip.

MART?NEZ: Southwest says it plans to return to normal operations with minimal disruptions today.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

3 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

7 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

8 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

9 reimburse   

v.补偿，付还

参考例句：

• We'll reimburse you for your travelling expenses.我们将付还你旅费。
• The funds are supposed to reimburse policyholders in the event of insurer failure.这项基金将在保险公司不能偿付的情况下对投保人进行赔付。

10 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？