Posted on 04/25/2024 11:53:15 AM PDT by george76
Southwest Airlines issued a press statement Thursday declaring their intention to fire around 2,000 employees and cancel service to four airports following financial difficulties.
“[W]e are implementing cost control initiatives, including limiting hiring and offering voluntary time off programs. We now expect to end 2024 with approximately 2,000 fewer Employees as compared with the end of 2023,” Bob Jordan, the president and CEO of Southwest Airlines
...
Jordan also announced that the company was shutting down its service to three airports in the United States and one in Mexico. “[W]e have made the difficult decision to close our operations at Bellingham International Airport, Cozumel International Airport, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport,” the president said in the press release.
The company is also planning to reduce its aircraft from its own fleet from 814 to 802 planes by the end of this year, the press release noted.
Jordan mentioned that he was grateful to the company’s over 74,000 employees who have continued to demonstrate the “Warrior Spirit to maintain a reliable and resilient operation as we adapt to aircraft delivery constraints and adjust to slower-than-planned growth for this year and next,” the press release read.
The company claimed in the press release that the rising labor costs “as well as pressure from planned maintenance expenses” had taken their toll in these difficult times. Not everything in the press release was gloomy. “While it is disappointing to incur a first-quarter loss, we exited the quarter with healthy profits and margins in the month of March,” Jordan noted
Hmmm. Was thinking about signing up for one of those memberships like Frontier offers. Summer travel for 399.00 or so. know anyone who has done something like this? Flexible cheap flights?
And our Sec. of Transportation says....?
Houston was a big surprise.
They’re leaving Houston?! I’ve not flown their recently but that used to be one of their biggest locations!
This is a forward thinking reaction to the new rules the Feds just laid down for air travel. Get ready everyone, airfares are about to double with the new rules that “protect the customers”.
“There”!
There are two Houston airports. They will still go their main one.
But think of the carbon reductions!
How many of those employees are union? They can thank Biden’s booming, pro-hydrocarbon economy for their upcoming unemployment.
Are they firing DEIs? Silly question. They’ll all be promoted into the white guys’ jobs.
Although "International" it's more of a regional upstate airport
Has nothing to do with carbon. Has everything to do with the new rule that airlines must reimburse delayed customers fully, accommodate obese people, and provide more family assistance.
That is Houston Intercontinental, which is the United hub. Southwest had a very small presence there. Almost all of Southwest’s operations are through Houston Hobby Airport.
I wondered about that too. I guess it’s because Southwest has quite a few flights in and out of Hobby Airport.
I’m glad I don’t need or want to fly commercial for yet another reason.
More good news for the economy!
Those are probably losing routes in any case: SW is competing with Allegiant in Bellingham, American in Houston. Trying to keep the price-conscious passenger is a tough job these days; trying to keep any passenger with all the nutcases making trouble in flight, along with all the Boeing parts falling off, is a tough job these days.
Ya with a brand new taco bar in the southwest terminal.
Blue Horseshoe loves Southwest Airlines...
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