It may be hard to feel sorry for Southwest Airlines after it obsequiously caved to the newest Cultural Marxist crybully contingent at the expense of normal passengers. But this is tyranny:

Southwest Airlines has been hit with a $140 million civil penalty for its December 2022 service disruptions, the Department of Transportation said Monday.

As if Southwest hasn’t suffered enough:

Southwest is still reeling from last year’s debacle that cost nearly $1.2 billion between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first two months of 2023.

Pete Buttigieg, who was appointed Transportation Secretary as a reward for being noisily homosexual, decided to hurt the company some more. He barks:

“Today’s action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: If airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable.”

Translation: If you incur our wrath for whatever reason — or if we find it expedient to make an example out of you — we will hurt you bad.

The Federal Behemoth grabs still more of other people’s money:

The fine includes a $35 million payment directly to the government…

That should cover about 30 seconds of interest on the national debt.

Southwest has already paid more than $600 million in refunds and reimbursements to affected travelers and is expected to pay $750 million in compensatory damages.

Whatever lesson could be learned has been learned. But teaching it some more provides Big Government an opportunity to flex its growing muscles.

Southwest’s crime:

The airline had canceled nearly 17,000 flights scheduled between Dec. 21 and Dec. 29, affecting nearly 2 million customers, as a winter storm halted operations across major airports, overwhelming its scheduling crew.

Southwest had already taken steps to prevent it from happening again. But when they are down is a convenient time to kick people.

Identity politics has worked out well for Pete Buttigieg. Just a few years ago, he was the mediocre mayor of a minor city. Now he is unelected judge, jury, and executioner. Other airlines had better be very nice to Mayor Pete.

On a tip from Franco.

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