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More Than 90 Percent Of All Flight Cancellations Today Are Southwest Flights; At Least 28 Dead From Historic Blizzard In Buffalo, NY Area; GOP Rep.-Elect Georges Santos Admits To Lying On Resume. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired December 27, 2022 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[14:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Sara Sidner, in for Mr. Victor Blackwell. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

We begin with the travel nightmare that just won't seem to end. Nearly 3000 flights across the United States grounded again today. Almost all of them, however, more than 90 percent of them are one airline, Southwest Airlines. You can see the lines for Southwest passengers at ticket counters today in Atlanta, Raleigh, Denver, you name it. The airline is apologizing for the fiasco but passengers some of whom have spent hours or even days waiting in airports are fuming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm beyond frustrated and hurt because I can't see my dad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom is in the hospital and I wanted to be there for her when she like got discharged. Unfortunately, because of the situation, they are saying that the closest flight is the 29th.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to make it home today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, likely not. I mean, I heard someone say over the intercom not to expect to get a flight within the next four days, so that's definitely not what I wanted to hear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Within the next four days, goodness, with New Year's Eve just days away, nearly 2500 flights have already been canceled for tomorrow. The Department of Transportation says it will investigate calling the cancellations unacceptable. CNN's Gabe Cohen is at Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore, a key hub for Southwest gate. What are things looking like right now?

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, just look behind me. You can see this line of folks, every one of these travelers is dealing with a canceled flight. They're trying to rebook right now. Many have been staying at the airport, stranded, some trying to get home, and others just trying to reach a customer service representative on the phone.

I want to bring in Dan and Sheila Gray. You guys were telling me before that you've actually been rebooked eight times since Friday -- eight times. So, Dan, what does that been like? Just talk me through the past few days you've been.

DAN GRAY, FRUSTRATED TRAVELER: It has been a kind of --

SHEILA GRAY, FRUSTRATED TRAVELER: Emotionally challenging.

DAN GRAY: Yes, emotionally very challenging. Over -- we met a supervisor here to help us. We had meal vouchers and a whole couple of hotel rooms.

COHEN: They have been treating you good?

DAN GRAY: We -- I mean --

SHEILA GRAY: Yes.

DAN GRAY: Pretty much, yes. This guy has. You know, it's -- the customer service has been a little difficult here but I can understand that.

COHEN: And, Sheila --

DAN GRAY: They are under a lot of pressure, so you know.

COHEN: And, Sheila, you were saying you've been without your luggage since Friday?

SHEILA GRAY: Since Friday, nothing, no toiletries, no nothing.

COHEN: What has that been like for you? Do you have to keep that?

SHEILA GRAY: It's been looking -- I mean, you don't have no clothes to change into. Now, we're wearing the same clothes.

COHEN: And you're without medication at the moment?

SHEILA GRAY: All of our medications were on our luggage, which that was our fault. We should have put it in our own -- you know boarding.

COHEN: Yes. And what is the goal here now? Are you trying to get a refund? Because you're trying to get back to North Carolina, is that right?

DAN GRAY: Right. Yes.

COHEN: So, what's the goal here once you get to the end of the line?

SHEILA GRAY: I don't think they can read -- book us the earlier flight because they're supposed to go out on the 31st as of right now.

COHEN: But you don't know when you're getting out?

SHEILA GRAY: No.

COHEN: (INAUDIBLE)

(CROSSTALK)

DAN GRAY: It worse comes to worst, believe and we're going to be able to go out on 31st but I'm hoping, I have faith that we're going to get an earlier ticket.

COHEN: Yes.

SHEILA GRAY: Yes.

COHEN: Well, thank you both so much.

DAN GRAY: Yes, sure.

COHEN: We so appreciate it. And look, so many folks are struggling with the same thing. And the question is, what do you do until the 31st? A lot of people are staying at hotels where they can. But we've met people who are sleeping on the floor of the airport here who say they haven't been able to get a hotel voucher and they can't afford it.

So, Sara, it's a mess here, to say the least. And now there are all these questions about why Southwest is the one airline dealing with this problem. The reality is that even their Pilots Union is saying they have outdated processes and outdated IT. But that's a little remedy for tens of thousands of passengers who don't know how they're going to get home.

SIDNER: That is a really good reporting.

[14:05:01]

And thank you for talking to people who are going through this because there were a couple of things there that people need to remember and that is the medication. You heard that one passenger saying look, I should have brought my medication with me but I just inadvertently put it in my carry-on.

Those are the things that people need to be reminded of too as they travel. But the frustrations, this is, you know, on the airlines, specifically Southwest because it can't just be the weather now. This is something else. Thank you so much. I appreciate you, Gabe.

Casey Murray is the president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. Casey, I just want to quickly show you what a Southwest spokeswoman -- or spokesman, excuse me said about the cancellations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY MCVAY, SPOKESPERSON, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: With those cancellations, and as a result, we end up with flight crews and airplanes that are out of place and not in the cities that they need to be in to continue to run our operations. So, that is ultimately exactly how we ended up where we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: All right. So, you heard that there. Can you give us a little more insight? Was this a mechanical issue, was this a staffing issue, or certainly couldn't just be a weather issue? So, what was going on there that caused this problem?

CASEY MURRAY, PRESIDENT, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS ASSOCIATION: Well, Sara, thanks for having me. And what the Southwest spokesman said -- I mean, that's their job and that's where they've failed. And it pains me to hear, you know, in the lead into this, our customers going through what they're going through.

Our pilots have stepped up, we're the most productive in the world trying to get, you know, all of our customers from A to B. But at the end of the day, this is a management failure.

This has been going on for years. We've learned them. We've seen multiple meltdowns getting more and more severe. United Airlines in Denver dealt with the same storm we did, the same basic size we are in Denver, and didn't have near the cancellations or delays. And so, it was a lack of preparation, it was poor leadership on Southwest's part, and they need to bear the brunt of this.

SIDNER: Do you know exactly some of the points that happened here? I mean, was there you know, more flights and shorter lag times in- between flights? What was it that made this tumble? You said it's a long-standing problem, so is it a systems problem pretty much?

MURRAY: It is a system, it's the processes, and it's an IT problem. It has been building for years. Our network is built on a house of cards, and the first issue or the first card that falls, the rest of them fall. And what you're seeing today is just a culmination of what's been going on for years, what we as pilots have been warning them about, and our customers ultimately bear the brunt of it. It's unacceptable.

SIDNER: You know, I've -- just curious, how -- I mean, long is this going to take time to unravel all of this because once you have the first flight canceled, it's like a domino effect where then you're trying to rebook and re-manage? How long do you think people will be going through this as the passengers and as frankly, the staff?

MURRAY: Well, this is the issue that's been going on for years. It's exactly that. Once the first card falls, it's a domino effect, and they can't recover. We've never seen one this deep or this severe. But it's going to take days. I mean, we're not going to be fully recovered until after the weekend, which doesn't bode well for New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day travel.

SIDNER: You know, I do want to know if you've heard from pilots and from others who work for Southwest, as they're dealing with really frustrated -- beyond frustrated, as you heard there, passengers. You have people who are crying, you have people who are angry, and you know, it's the holidays when people are hoping to be a bit happier. How are they handling all this?

MURRAY: Well, it's devastating. And it takes it emotional, as well as the fatigue toll on our pilots. Our pilots are standing in front of our passengers. We can't get a hold of leadership, the phones are clogged, and we're looking at nine and 17-hour hold times to get a hold of scheduling to provide any answers.

Our pilots are type A. They'll do anything to get the job done. They always have and they always will. And it's unfortunate that they can't provide the answers, you know, to their customers.

SIDNER: I have to say and, it partly in defense of Southwest Airlines and the people that work for them that it's always been an airline that has been very kind to its passengers. Lots of jokes on -- from the pilots to the -- to the flight attendants on -- once you're on. But I do want to ask you about the bill of rights.

Because there is a bill of rights that was put into place in 2020 -- in 2021, and -- so that customers can get compensation. How would you tell customers to be able to get compensation for what has happened to them, which cannot be blamed on the weather?

MURRAY: Well, at the end of the day, Southwest has always relied on its employees. And we have the best employees. Frontline employees, they're out there doing everything they can today, yesterday, over the -- over the Christmas -- you know on Christmas Eve.

They're the ones that have carried this airline for so long. They're the ones in the front and I would just tell passengers that the government -- the government website tells exactly how to do that and -- if that's what they feel they need to do. And unfortunately, at this point and this level of meltdown and this level of chaos, it's really what they're left with.

[14:10:13]

SIDNER: Do you think it'll go on for days, hours, or a week or so?

MURRAY: Well, unless fundamental changes are done to how Southwest runs its network, the IT infrastructure unless it is beefed up, and unless there are major sweeping changes to leadership as well, this airline is going to continue to struggle as it has for the last 20 months.

SIDNER: All right, Casey Murray, thank you so much for coming on and giving us a candid look at what's happening to passengers and to employees of Southwest Airlines. I appreciate you.

Rescuers continue to find bodies from the deadliest blizzard the Buffalo, New York area has seen in more than 45 years. Officials say so far, 28 people have died from the system that dropped more than four feet of snow during the holiday weekend. The medical examiner said victims were found outside in cars, poisoned by carbon monoxide or dead from cardiac arrest. And local leaders expect the death toll is going to rise as crews conduct more welfare checks. CNN's Miguel Marquez joins us from Western New York. Miguel, you are surrounded by snow. It still looks like it's snowing a bit there. What are first responders facing today?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. They are getting through the streets -- the plowing of the streets. I can show you what this is in downtown Buffalo right now. And you can see that like if you look down that way, that is downtown Buffalo.

It looks like there's another wall of snow coming in probably the last one that they'll see in this storm, as the weather is meant to improve later on this week. So, they are going through methodically street by street, going through cars, going through homes, where people have not been heard from, trying to figure out if there are any others out there.

Today, the death toll went up by three. But then they reduced it by two because two that had died earlier on were deemed to be dead from natural causes. But they are continuing to search throughout the city to figure out if there are more people who may be buried in some of these very, very large snow drifts.

You know they got about over 50 inches in this storm alone. They've had about 100 inches this year so far. And there's just a massive amount of snow -- amount of snow that we're trying to get into.

The one thing that authorities have asked is that cars. Cars stay off the road. People trying to get into the city, stay out. One official related a story about a Camaro that block emergency services.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK POLONCARZ, EXECUTIVE, ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK: The report that came from my Department of Public Works was the vehicle that was stuck on Ridge Road was a Camaro. That's a great vehicle for the summer. It is not the vehicle to be driving in slippery, bad conditions in winter.

I have been advised 100 military police are coming in from the National Guard, as well as additional New York State Police from other parts of New York and that the New Jersey State Police are coming into New York to offset the New York State Police that are being moved in here because people just are ignoring the driving ban.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: So, lots of police coming into Buffalo now. Camaros and snow just is not a place that they want people to be and to go. By the end of this week though, temperatures will hit 50 degrees. The concern then will be flooding. Sara.

SIDNER: That's just from bad to worse. Thank you so much, Miguel. And also thank your crew out there for us. I know it's rough.

MARQUEZ: Yes.

SIDNER: The worst of conditions often brings out the best in people thankfully. And that surely came through inside a restaurant called Alabama Hotel in-base of New York, less than an hour's drive west from Buffalo. You're seeing some pictures there.

This video taken by a stranded driver shows the conditions on Christmas Day. Sure enough, the Alabama hotel, Sweet Home Alabama, lived up to its name for two days. It was a refuge for 115 people and four dogs who were stranded in the storm. And luckily for us, the manager of Alabama Hotel, Joe Bradt joins me now.

Joe, you posted some pictures, you knew -- so that people knew that your doors were open. Can you tell us what it was like having that many folks there and you know, sleepy folks, people that needed just some comfort, and how you dealt with it?

JOE BRADT, GENERAL MANAGER, "ALABAMA HOTEL" RESTAURANT: It was absolutely crazy having so many people from so many different nationalities in one room. I think a lot of people think that's our local patrons and guests that were stuck here. There -- it was our local patrons or guest, there wasn't more than my left-hand man and my right-hand man here that were local. The rest were out of Canada and out of state or out of the country.

[14:15:11]

And they came together -- they came together. And they were cooking. They were washing dishes. They were bussing tables. It was a site like no other. And as you said, you know, we are not your typical hotel, we don't have rooms. I have a dining room that can accommodate approximately 70 people.

SIDNER: Yes.

BRADT: And we created them 115 people for 48 hours straight.

SIDNER: That's really an incredible kindness. And truly, you likely saved people's lives because we are seeing the result of those cold temperatures and people getting stuck in their cars. I do want to talk about what's on your Facebook page. It is covered with people who are so, so thankful because of what you did.

Like this one from Lynn Becca. She writes the true meaning of Christmas. People from all over different backgrounds, different beliefs, but united as one. Nothing but smiles, no worries in that very moment. Rested, full belly's, warm and sheltered all thanks to the great community members of Alabama Hotel.

This is seriously the best blizzard of the '22 story ever. How did you spend the two days yourself? And please tell me the names of the folks that were there to help everyone feel comfortable.

BRADT: So, I spent the two days awake, very awake, tired at times. Craig Alexander from the Alabama Holley farms across the street was here with me. He was just trudging through the snow back and forth to the meat market bringing us more food, what it was necessary. I had Brian Kotarski from BDK construction. He's one of our locals that is here all the time but his daughter was involved in an accident up the street that brought him in. Little did he know that he was going to be working side by side with me for 48 hours.

SIDNER: You know it's really beautiful to hear.

BRADT: (INAUDIBLE) from the community. The woman just a few doors down from that came through the snow pulling to slides full of blankets and pillows and air mattresses. The community members dropped off Christmas presents so that these children had something to open up on Christmas morning.

Just crazy, crazy -- absolutely crazy how everybody came together. And this place ran like a smooth oiled machine, you know. We serve a lot of food. And not only do we serve a lot of food, we served about 60 pounds of prime rib.

SIDNER: Wow.

BRADT: These folks had prime rib dinner on Christmas Eve. And that is thanks to Bonnie Woodward, the owner. I called her up on Christmas Eve and I said, Bonnie, I'd find these guys so much food and I just wanted to make Christmas Eve special. And she said, break out the prime ribs. So, we did.

SIDNER: That is so beautiful. It's just lovely to hear people coming together like that in a -- in a place where kind of fractured on some levels. I wanted to quickly ask you about a father named Miko because he was really stunned and said that look, you saved the lives of -- he and his family. Tell us some of the stories that you heard from people, and what they were facing, and why they ended up there at your restaurant.

BRADT: So, it's my understanding that most of these people ended up with the restaurant because they were on the Thruway. And the Thruway was closed and they got off the (INAUDIBLE) exit. And as most of them were driving toward Canada, they just carried on driving north.

Some of them just ended up out front because they have a big sign this is Alabama hotel, and some of them use Google and it says we were a hotel that offered rooms. And it just started pouring.

I don't know what else to say. They just started pouring in and started with one or two people, and then a few minutes later, it was 10 people, 15 people. A lot of these people were rescued off the side of the road by the Genesee Sno Packers, New York State Police, and Genesee County Sheriff's Department. I saw Batavia Oakfield Pembroke getting pulled by departments outside of our front door helping to get people here.

And I do. I do believe a lot of lives I saved that day. We're not going to pat ourselves on the back but I do believe that. You know, having the place open, giving up our food, giving up our drinks, I do wait for the think that we save a life or two.

[14:20:02]

SIDNER: Yes, right. You do not have to pat yourself on the back because there are so many people including us here at CNN that are patting you on the back. Such a wonderful story, such a great Christmas gift.

BRADT: Thank you.

SIDNER: Thank you so much for all that you and your staff did for those 115 people and the four dogs, which I'm sure got a little bit of prime rib, you know when you weren't looking.

BRADT: Everybody got some.

SIDNER: Now to a stunning admission from Republican Congressman-elect George Santos. He is owning up to completely fabricating his employment and education on his resume but is still assuring people that his party -- as part of his party that he can still serve in Congress. Also, enjoy these gas prices that have lowered for a bit while you still can because the new projection is on the way. We'll tell you all about it coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: Republican Congressman-elect George Santos admitting to embellishing parts of his resume. He also claimed his grandparents survived the Holocaust, and he was Jewish but then he turned around and said that what he meant was he is Jew-ish. In a new interview, Santos says he has not committed any crimes and can still effectively serve in Congress.

[14:25:14]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP.-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS, (R-NY): I didn't outright lie about my work experience. Actually, I'm fairly well-rounded in the financial markets and capital markets. I've been doing it for a very long time.

Did I embellish my resume? Yes, I did. And I'm sorry. And it shouldn't be done. And it's -- there's just words can't express 100 percent how I feel, but I'm still the same guy. I'm not a fraud. This will not deter me from being an effective member of the United States Congress in the 118 Session.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: CNN's Eva McKend is following this story. I cannot help but have to ask you what is this ish we're talking about. How many lies that he tell about his resume alone?

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, Sara, there are just countless lies. It's hard to keep count. He's characterizing his many false claims as embellishments, but this goes beyond that. He's boasted of working for investment banks, for instance, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He now admits he did not.

The Congressman-elect claimed he received degrees from both NYU and Baruch College. He now says he did not. He said he owned 13 different properties, another lie. But he maintains he's not a criminal and still intends to serve in Congress. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTOS: So, as I've said many times, and I think you've heard me say this, I always joke. I'm Catholic, but I'm also Jew-ish, as in ish. And I've made that joke because growing up, I grew up fully aware that my grandparents were Jewish, came from a Jewish family, and they were refugees to Brazil. And that was always the story I grew up with and I've always known it very well. And I've told it the way it was told to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: So, CNN learned that Santos described himself as a proud American Jew in a document he shared with prominent Jewish groups. The Republican Jewish Coalition now saying they were deceived, and he won't be welcome at any future RJC events. But they aren't calling for him to step down, and neither is Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who we haven't heard from, Sara, since the scandal broke.

SIDNER: I can't help. This is just crazy sauce. This is -- there are so many things that -- as you go down the list of things, is there any indication of why he lied, especially about his religion?

MCKEND: Yes. I think that the questions remain there. You know, I know that CNN, we want to speak with him. I think it'll be interesting once he sits before a less sort of friendly media outlet. He's only spoken to the conservative press in the wake of this scandal.

But truly, no, he has not really detailed the why. I think he's sort of maybe leaving an opening to say that this was sort of the family history that was told to him. That seems to be what he's suggesting to give him an opening to say that he didn't actually lie here. But you know, Sara, this just not -- does not make a whole lot of sense. And I imagine in the coming days, we will continue to learn more.

SIDNER: Eva McKend, thank you as always, for some great reporting there. Joining me now to discuss all of this, is CNN political commentor -- commentator and Republican strategist Alice Stewart, and former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye. All right.

Alice, I'll start with you. Santos described those lies as resume embellishments. You tweeted that his lies are a problem. That seems like an understatement. What is most worrisome to you?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, character counts, Sara, and he has proven to be someone who is devoid of speaking the truth. Look, he has repeatedly lied to the people that elected him to serve in Congress. And if so, how can he be trusted to be a member of Congress? How can he be sworn in and trusted with national security issues and issues that are so critical to our country? Those are valid questions.

Sara, says he's not a fraud. Look at the definition of fraud. A person who knowingly deceives others by over-inflating their accomplishments and their qualities. That's what he's done time and time again. And in my view, it's up to the people of his district what happens. But I think it's going to be extremely impossible to trust him as a member of Congress given these repeated lies.

And look, he says he wants to be seated in Congress. He says that he wants to serve the people of this district. Well, I would highly recommend that the real George Santos stand up, run again in two years on his real record, his real name, his real accomplishments, and not this Leonardo DiCaprio starring as Catch Me If You Can character who no one really knows exactly who he is and what he stands for.

SIDNER: That was a mic drop moment, all the things that you just said there. But all the things that you say looking up the word fraud is actually true.