PR expert gives Southwest response to flight cancellations a C-

(NewsNation) — Southwest has canceled thousands of flights, leaving many travelers stranded and scrambling to find others means of transportation during the holiday season.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, more than 91% of all canceled flights in the U.S. early Wednesday were from Southwest. The cancellations have prompted the Transportation Department to examine the airline.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan issued a statement Tuesday on the cancellations, saying he is “truly sorry” and that the airline has “some real work to do in making this right.”

How well has Southwest handled its flight cancellation crisis from a public relations perspective?

Dave Quast, senior vice president of Red Banyan Public Relations, gives the airline’s response a grade of C minus. In the video above, Quast explains his reasoning behind the grade.