Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) had a December to forget, stranding thousands of holiday travelers after a winter storm disrupted the airline's operations. The mess caused investors to head for the exits, sending shares down 15.6% for the month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

A storm wreaked havoc over a broad portion of the United States in late December, responsible for nearly two dozen deaths, massive power outages, and Arctic-like temperatures as far south as Florida. It's the sort of weather that causes nightmares for airline executives, but among carriers Southwest stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Issues at popular Southwest airports including Buffalo and Chicago caused a cascade effect that left planes and crews out of position across the country, leading the airline to cancel upward of 70% of its schedule at the height of the storm and causing delays for much of the week that followed.

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Source Fool.com