Southwest Airlines says travellers stranded by holiday meltdown can’t rebook until December 31st

© Provided by Business Insider Canceled flight travelers line up in front of Southwest Airlines sign at Denver International Airport. Hyoung Chang/Getty Images

If you are a stranded Southwest customer trying to get home after visiting family for the holidays, we sincerely hope you like your family — you may be forced to stay with them a bit longer.

Stranded Southwest customers can’t rebook their flights until after December 31, according to a Southwest Airlines official who spoke to the press at Hobby International Airport on Monday. 

This is a blow to customers who have been waiting to reach their final destination since late last week. 

Customers who already have a confirmed rebooking will not be affected by this.

Southwest Airlines canceled nearly 3,000 flights following Winter Storm Elliott — the highest count by far among airlines, according to FlightAware.

The fallout stranded travelers across the country over the weekend as airlines could not rebook customers quickly because of the nationwide impact of the storm.