Southwest Airlines

Low-cost airline of the United States

For other uses, see Southwest Airlines (disambiguation).

Southwest Airlines Co.

| IATA | ICAO | Call sign

|
|

WN  | SWA  | SOUTHWEST
Founded| March 9, 1967;
57 years ago (1967-03-09)
(as Air Southwest)
Commenced operations| June 18, 1971;
53 years ago (1971-06-18)
(as Southwest Airlines)
AOC #| SWAA304A
Operating bases|

* Atlanta
* Baltimore
* Chicago–Midway
* Dallas–Love
* Denver
* Houston–Hobby
* Las Vegas
* Los Angeles
* Nashville
* Oakland
* Orlando
* Phoenix–Sky Harbor
* San Diego

Frequent-flyer program| Rapid Rewards
Fleet size| 803[1]: 3
Destinations| 117[1]: 3
Traded as|

* NYSE: LUV
* DJTA component
* S&P 500 component

Headquarters| Love Field, Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Key people|

* Bob Jordan (President and CEO)
* Rakesh Gangwal (Chair of the Board)

Founders|

* Herb Kelleher
* Rollin King

Revenue|  US$27.5 billion (2024)[1]
Operating income|  US$321 million (2024)[1]
Net income|  US$465 million (2024)[1]
Total assets|  US$33.7 billion (2024)[1]
Total equity|  US$10.3 billion (2024)[1]
Employees| 72,450 (2024)[1]
Website| southwest.com

Southwest Airlines Co. is a major airline in the United States that operates on a low-cost carrier model. It is headquartered in Love Field, Dallas neighborhood, in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the United States and ten other countries.[2] As of 2018, Southwest carried more domestic passengers than any other United States airline.[3] It is currently the fourth largest airline in the world based on passengers flown.[4]

The airline was established on March 9, 1967,[5] by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Co. and adopted its current name, Southwest Airlines Co., in 1971, when it began operating as an intrastate airline wholly within the state of Texas, first flying between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.[6][7] It began regional interstate service in 1979, expanding nationwide in the following decades. Southwest currently serves airports in 42 states and multiple Central American destinations.

Southwest's business model is distinct from that of other US airlines. It uses a rolling hub and point-to-point network and allows free checked baggage. Its fleet exclusively consists of Boeing 737 jets.

The airline has nearly 66,100 employees and operates about 4,000 daily departures during peak travel season.[8][9]

## History

[edit]

Main article: History of Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines was founded in 1966 by Herbert Kelleher and Rollin King, and incorporated as Air Southwest Co. in 1967. Three other airlines (Braniff, Trans-Texas Airways, and Continental Airlines) took legal action to try to prevent the company from its planned strategy of undercutting their prices by flying only within Texas and thus being exempt from regulation by the federal Civil Aeronautics Board. The lawsuits were resolved in 1970, and in 1971 the airline changed its name to Southwest Airlines and began operating regularly scheduled flights between the Texas Triangle cities of Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. In 1975, Southwest began flying to other cities in Texas, and in 1979, after passage of the Airline Deregulation Act, it began flying to adjacent states. It started service to the East and the Southeast in the 1990s,[10] and Denver in 2006,[11] which is now its most popular destination. Southwest Airlines was profitable for 47 consecutive fiscal years, from 1973 through 2019.[12]

Southwest experienced a holiday meltdown in 2022 resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights representing over 70% of its schedule following the late December 2022 North American winter storm.[13] As a result of the crisis, the airline reached a settlement with the United States Department of Transportation including a record-setting $140 million fine , the largest fine ever imposed by the agency by a factor of roughly 30, and reported losses exceeding $1.1 billion stemming from the crisis.[14][15][16][17][18]

In May 2024, Southwest fares started showing on Google for the first time after long being excluded from the search engine's search results.[19]

Southwest lost $219 million in the fourth quarter of 2023[20] and $231M in the first quarter of 2024; that April, it announced it would limit hiring and cease serving four airports.[21] In June 2024, Elliott Investment Management, an activist investment fund, announced that it had bought $1.9 billion in Southwest stock and would seek to oust leadership at the carrier, arguing it had "failed to evolve" citing "leadership’s stubborn unwillingness to evolve the Company’s strategy."[22] That September, in response to pressure from Elliott, Southwest announced that Gary C. Kelly would retire in 2025 rather than seeking reelection as executive chairman, and that several members of the corporate board would be replaced. Bob Jordan remained as chief executive officer (CEO) despite Elliot's efforts to oust him.[23][24]

In September 2024, Southwest Airlines announced its first airline partnership with Icelandair.[25]

In November 2024, five of Elliot's nominees were seated on Southwest’s board—the largest number of board seats ever gained by Elliott in a settlement with a U.S. company[26]—and Kelly retired early.[27] Southwest simultaneously promoted industry veteran Rakesh Gangwal, had been appointed to the board in July 2024, to chair of the board. Gangwal is co-founder of India's largest airline IndiGo and a former senior executive at United Airlines and US Airways.[26][28]

In January 2025, the US government sued Southwest for operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers’ travel.[29]

## Destinations

[edit]

Main article: List of Southwest Airlines destinations

As of January 2024[update], Southwest Airlines flies to over 100 destinations in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.[30] Southwest uses a point-to-point system combined with a rolling-hub model in its base cities, in contrast to the hub-and-spoke system of other major airlines.

## Fleet

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Southwest Airlines fleet.[edit]

Southwest Airlines is the world's largest operator of the Boeing 737. As of February 2025[update], the Southwest Airlines operates a fleet of 800 Boeing 737 aircraft, making it the fourth-largest commercial airline fleet in the world and the largest 737 operator. Additionally, as of October 2023 Southwest has 342 737 MAX 7 aircraft on order. [31] Since its inception, Southwest Airlines has largely operated Boeing 737 aircraft, serving as the launch customer of the 737-300, 737-500, and 737-700.[32] In 2023, the airline received its 1,000th Boeing 737. The use of a single aircraft type across its fleet allows Southwest's pilots and flight attendants to operate any aircraft without restrictions and reduces training time and costs.[33]

## Passenger experience

[edit]

Southwest Airlines solely offers economy class seating and does not have business class or first class cabins on its aircraft.[34]

The company permits two free-of-charge checked bags per passenger,[35][36] and passengers are permitted to change their flight up to 10 minutes prior to their flights without extra charge. In the event of a cancellation, passengers are refunded a travel credit in the amount spent on their ticket, and the credit may be used toward other Southwest Airlines or Southwest Vacations purchase. The credit does not expire.[37]

Southwest offers free inflight non-alcoholic beverages and offers alcoholic beverages for sale for $7-9 per beverage.[38] Free alcoholic drinks are offered to passengers who are at least 21 on some holidays such as Valentine's Day and Halloween. Complimentary snacks are also offered on all flights. Southwest has become known for colorful boarding announcements and crews who sometimes burst out in song.[39][40][41][42]

Southwest's boarding process at an airport gate

Prior to 2007, Southwest boarded passengers by grouping the passengers into three groups, labeled A, B and C. Passengers would line up at their specified letter and board.[43]

In 2007, Southwest modified its boarding procedure by introducing a number. Each passenger receives a letter (A, B, or C) and a number 1 through 60. Passengers lineup in numerical order within each letter group and choose any open seat on the aircraft.[43] A 2012 study on the television series MythBusters, found this to be the fastest method currently in use for passengers to board a plane; on average, it is 10 minutes faster than the standard method.[44] The airline was also number-one on the 2020 Airline Quality Rating list.[45]

Southwest has a "customer of size" policy in which the cost of a second seat is refunded for any plus-sized travelers who take up more room than one seat.[46][47]

On July 25, 2024, Southwest announced that it would soon be ending its long-standing open seating policy.[48][49] The airline will start assigning seats, introduce premium seating options with more legroom, and launch overnight flights beginning in 2026.[50]

### In-flight entertainment

[edit]

As of December 2024, Wi-Fi includes free streaming of live television, movies, music, in-app messaging (iMessage and WhatsApp), and real-time flight tracking.[51] Full Internet access is available for an $8 fee for most passengers but is free for Business Select and A-List Preferred passengers. As of March 9, 2023, Southwest began upgrading Wi-Fi hardware on its existing aircraft equipped with Anuvu Wi-Fi and began rolling out Viasat Wi-Fi on all new deliveries.[52]

### Rapid Rewards

[edit]

Southwest first began to offer a frequent-flyer program on June 18, 1987, calling it The Company Club. The program credited for trips flown regardless of distance.[53] Southwest Airlines renamed its frequent-flyer program Rapid Rewards on April 25, 1996.[54]

The original Rapid Rewards program offered one credit per one-way flight from an origin to a destination, including any stops or connections on Southwest Airlines. When 16 credits were accumulated in a 24-month period, Southwest awarded one free round-trip ticket that was valid for 12 months.[55]

On March 1, 2011, Rapid Rewards changed to a points system based on ticket cost. Members earn and redeem points based on a four-tier fare scale multiplier and the cost of the ticket. Changes also included no blackout dates, seat restrictions, or expiring credits. Since October 18, 2019, Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as the member is alive.[56] It also adds more options to use points.[57][58][59][60]

## Corporate affairs

[edit]

### Business trends

[edit]

The key trends for Southwest Airlines are (as of the financial year ending December 31):[61]

| Net profit
(millions of US$) | Number of employees  | Number of passengers
(in millions) | Passenger load factor
(%) | Average passenger fare
(US$) | Fleet size  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2015  | 2,181  | 49,583  | 118  | 83.6  | 154  | 704  | [62]
2016  | 2,183  | 53,536  | 124  | 84.0  | 152  | 723  | [62]
2017  | 3,357  | 56,110  | 130  | 83.9  | 151  | 706  | [62]
2018  | 2,465  | 58,803  | 134  | 83.4  | 151  | 750  | [62]
2019  | 2,300  | 60,767  | 134  | 83.5  | 154  | 747  | [63]
2020  | −3,074− | 56,537  | 054  | 52.4  | 141  | 718  | [64]
2021  | 0977  | 55,093  | 099  | 78.5  | 141  | 728  | [63]
2022  | 0539  | 66,656  | 126  | 83.4  | 169  | 770  | [63]
2023  | 0465  | 74,806  | 137  | 80.0  | 172  | 817  | [65]

### Headquarters

[edit]

Southwest Airlines' headquarters at Dallas Love Field in Dallas

The Southwest Airlines headquarters are located on the grounds of Dallas Love Field in Dallas.[8][66] Chris Sloan of Airways magazine stated they are "as much a living, breathing museum and showcase for the 'culture that LUV built' as they are corporate offices."[67]

On September 17, 2012, Southwest broke ground on a new Training and Operational Support building,[68] across the street from its current headquarters building. The property includes a two-story, 100,000-square-foot Network Operations Control building that can withstand an EF3 tornado. It also includes a four-story, 392,000-square-foot office, and training facility with two levels devoted to each function. The new facilities house 24-hour coordination and maintenance operations, customer support and services, and training. The project was completed in late 2013, with occupancy beginning in 2014.

On June 2, 2016, Southwest broke ground on its new office and training facility known as Wings. The newest addition to the corporate campus is composed of a 420,000-square-foot, six-story office building, and a 380,000-square-foot adjoining structure called the Leadership Education and Aircrew Development (LEAD) Center that serves as the new pilot training facility. The LEAD Center has the capacity to house and support 18 flight simulators. It is designed to be expanded to accommodate up to 26 simulator bays. The building opened on April 3, 2018.[69]

On August 16, 2019, Southwest announced an expansion of the LEAD Center to accommodate eight additional simulators for future operational and training demands.[70] On January 2, 2020, it was announced that Southwest would be purchasing an additional 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land adjacent to its Wings and LEAD facilities.[71] No additional details were disclosed.

### Employment

[edit]

As of June 30, 2022[update], Southwest Airlines had 62,333 active full-time equivalent employees.[72] According to The Washington Post, it uses the hiring motto of seeking people that have a "Servant's Heart, Warrior Spirit, Fun-LUVing Attitude".[73] It also uses the internal practice of ranking "employees first, customers second".[74] Collective bargaining Southwest Airlines employees is represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association union.[75]

Bob Jordan, formerly executive vice president of corporate services, became Southwest's sixth CEO on February 1, 2022, replacing Gary C. Kelly. Kelly continues as chairman of Southwest Airlines. Kelly replaced former CEO Jim Parker on July 15, 2004, and assumed the title of president on July 15, 2008, replacing former president Colleen Barrett. In July 2008, Herb Kelleher resigned from his position as chairman. Barrett left her post on the board of directors and as a corporate secretary in May 2008 and as president in July 2008. Kelleher was president and CEO of Southwest from September 1981 to June 2001.[76] On June 23, 2021, Southwest announced that chairman and CEO Gary Kelly would transition roles in early 2022, becoming the carrier's executive chairman with the desire to serve in that role through at least 2026 at the discretion of the board of directors. Jordan also joined the board then.[77]

On January 10, 2017, Southwest announced changes to the company's executive leadership ranks, with Thomas M. Nealon named as president and Michael G. Van de Ven as the airline's chief operating officer.[78] On September 14, 2021, Southwest announced Nealon had decided to retire from his duties as president effective immediately, but would continue to serve the company as a strategic advisor. Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven was named as the company's president the same day, and remains COO.[79]

In September 2024, in response to pressure from Elliott Investment Management, Kelly announced that he would not seek reelection as executive chairman in 2025. Jordan is expected to remain as CEO.[24][23]

About 83% of Southwest employees are members of a union.[80] The Southwest Airline Pilots' Association, a union not affiliated with the Air Line Pilots Association, represents the airline's pilots.[81] The aircraft maintenance technicians are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.[82] Customer service agents and reservation agents are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union. Flight dispatchers, flight attendants, ramp agents, and operations agents are represented by the Transport Workers Union.

The company has appeared on various "best places to work" list, with its employee culture mentioned by Travel and Leisure, CNBC, and Forbes.[83][84] The company has also been named to Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies" list, reaching number 14 in 2021.[85]

Southwest has never furloughed an employee.[86] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company launched voluntary separation and extended time-off programs in 2020, and around 16,900 employees volunteered to take an early retirement or long-term leave.[87] Roughly 24% were pilots and 33% were flight attendants.[88] In late 2020, the airline issued some WARN Act notices and announced incipient pay cuts for many employees in response to pandemic impacts, but these measures were rescinded after the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was enacted on December 27, 2020, providing additional financial aid to US airlines.[89]

The latest five year labor contract for Southwest Airlines pilots was approved in January 2024.[90]

Following a board takeover in February 2025 [91] Southwest laid off 1750 of its non-contract staff, approximately 15% of its corporate workforce.[92]

### Impact on carriers

[edit]

Southwest and its business model have had an influence on other low-cost carriers (LCC's). The competitive strategy combines a high level of employee and aircraft productivity with low unit costs by reducing aircraft turnaround time, particularly at the gate.[93] Europe's EasyJet and Ryanair are two of the best-known airlines to follow Southwest's business strategy in that continent. Other airlines with a business model based on Southwest's system include Canada's WestJet, Malaysia's AirAsia (the first and biggest LCC in Asia), India's IndiGo, Australia's Jetstar, a subsidiary of Qantas (although Jetstar now operates three aircraft types), Philippines' Cebu Pacific, Thailand's Nok Air, Mexico's Volaris, Indonesia's Lion Air and Turkey's Pegasus Airlines.[93]

### Lobbying against high-speed rail

[edit]

Southwest Airlines has a history of lobbying against high-speed rail, which it sees as a competitor for short-distance commuter flights. In the early 1990s, Southwest lobbied US Congress and the Texas Legislature to oppose a high-speed rail system between Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, and filed three lawsuits against the initiative.[94][95][96][97] In 1991, Southwest told Texas authorities, "Rail has a romantic appeal, but this case cannot be decided on the basis of nostalgia or even a desire to emulate the rail service of France and Germany. The American reality is that high-speed rail will be viable in Texas only by destroying the convenient and inexpensive transportation service the airlines now provide, and only by absorbing huge public subsidies."[95] In 1994, the high-speed rail initiative was cancelled.[94] While several reasons led to the initiative's demise, most commentators attribute a key role to Southwest Airlines' aggressive campaign against it.[97]

### Advertising

[edit]

The company has always employed humor in its advertising. Former slogans include "Love Is Still Our Field", "Just Plane Smart", "The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You", "You're Now Free to Move About the Country", "THE Low Fare Airline", "Grab your bag, It's On!", and "Welcome Aboard". The airline's slogan (as of 2022) is "Low fares. Nothing to hide. That's TransFarency!"[98]

In March 1992, shortly after Southwest started using the "Just Plane Smart" motto, Stevens Aviation, which had been using "Plane Smart" for its motto, advised Southwest that it was infringing on its trademark.[99][100] Instead of a lawsuit, the CEOs for both companies staged an arm-wrestling match. Held at the now-demolished Dallas Sportatorium and set for two out of three rounds, the loser of each round was to pay $5,000 to the charity of his choice, with the winner gaining the use of the trademarked phrase. A promotional video was created showing the CEOs "training" for the bout (with CEO Herb Kelleher being helped up during a sit-up where a cigarette and glass of Wild Turkey 101 whiskey was waiting) and distributed among the employees and also as a video press release along with the video of the match itself. Herb Kelleher lost the match for Southwest, with Stevens Aviation winning the rights to the phrase. Kurt Herwald, CEO of Stevens Aviation, immediately granted the use of "Just Plane Smart" to Southwest Airlines. The net result was both companies having use of the trademark.[101]

## Accidents and incidents

[edit]

Southwest has had 11 accidents, including three aircraft hull losses and four deaths: one accidental passenger death in flight, two non-passenger deaths on the ground, and one passenger death from injuries he sustained when subdued by other passengers while attempting to break into the cockpit of an aircraft. The airline is considered among the safest in the world. No passenger has died as a result of a crash.[102]

Southwest Airlines incidents and accidents, by date  Flight  | Date  | Aircraft  | Location  | Description  | Casualties

|
|
|
|
|

1455 | March 5, 2000 | Boeing 737-300 N668SW  | Burbank, California | The aircraft overran the runway upon landing at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, injuring 44. The accident resulted in the dismissal of the captain. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.  | Two serious injuries, forty-two minor injuries
1763 | August 11, 2000 | Boeing 737-700 N798SW  | In flight  | The aircraft was flying from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Salt Lake City, Utah when 19-year-old Jonathan Burton attempted to storm the cockpit in an apparent case of air rage. He was restrained by six to eight other passengers. In the scuffle, Burton died of asphyxiation.  | One death, one minor injury
1248 | December 8, 2005 | Boeing 737-700 N471WN  | Chicago, Illinois | The aircraft overran the runway during landing at Chicago Midway International Airport in heavy snow and slid into a nearby street, striking several cars and killing a six-year-old boy inside one of them. Injuries to several passengers and other people on the ground.  | One death, nine seriously injured (on ground); three minor injuries (on board)
2294 | July 13, 2009 | Boeing 737-300 N387SW  | In flight  | The flight from Nashville International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport was forced to divert to Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia after a hole formed on the top of the aircraft's fuselage near the tail, resulting in depressurization of the cabin and deployment of the oxygen masks. The aircraft landed safely and was repaired.  | None
812 | April 1, 2011 | Boeing 737-300 N632SW  | In flight  | The crew of the flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to Sacramento International Airport diverted to Yuma International Airport after a hole appeared in the top of the aircraft fuselage. The aircraft landed safely.  | Two minor injuries
345 | July 22, 2013 | Boeing 737-700 N753SW  | Queens, New York | The flight from Nashville International Airport was severely damaged in a hard landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport. The nose landing gear collapsed with sufficient force to penetrate a nearby electronics bay; the aircraft then slid off the runway. The captain was fired and the aircraft was ultimately scrapped.  | Ten minor injuries
149  | August 4, 2016 | Boeing 737-300 N368SW[103] | Anne Arundel County, Maryland | During pushback at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the aircraft suffered a failure of the nose landing gear because of the tug operators speed during pushback. The nose landing gear collapsed in a forward direction, causing severe damage to the gear structure, nose gear wheel and crushing the forward bulkhead. The plane was substantially damaged and written off.  | None
3472 | August 27, 2016 | Boeing 737-700 N766SW  | In flight  | The flight from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Orlando International Airport suffered an uncontained engine failure, damaging the engine nacelle and causing a gash in the fuselage. The aircraft diverted and landed without further incident at Pensacola International Airport.  | None
1380 | April 17, 2018 | Boeing 737-700 N772SW  | In flight  | The flight from New York-LaGuardia to Dallas made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport after debris from an uncontained engine failure smashed a passenger window. The resulting depressurization pushed a passenger partially out a window, causing critical injuries that led to her death.  | One death, eight minor injuries
728  | December 6, 2018  | Boeing 737-700 N752SW  | Burbank, California | The flight from Oakland International Airport overran the runway upon landing at Burbank, but the aircraft was stopped by an engineered materials arrestor system (EMAS) that had been implemented as a result of the Flight 1455 accident.[104] | None[105]
1392  | May 7, 2020 | Boeing 737-700 N401WN[106] | Austin, Texas | Shortly after landing at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, a pilot reported having seen someone on Runway 17R; subsequent investigation by airport operations found the body of a man on the runway, having seemingly been struck by the aircraft during or shortly after it touched down.[citation needed] | One death (on ground)
2494  | November 15, 2024  | Boeing 737-800 | Dallas, Texas | Struck near the cockpit by a bullet while preparing to take off from Love Field. No injuries were reported, the aircraft safely returned to the gate, and the passengers transferred to another aircraft. The incident aircraft was taken out of service. Dallas police, Dallas Fire-Rescue, and the FAA initiated investigations.[107][108][109] | None

## Controversies and passenger incidents

[edit]

See also: Access Now v. Southwest Airlines, Flying while Muslim § Southwest Airlines, and Boeing 737 MAX groundings

On June 22, 2011, a March 25 recording was released to the press of an apparently inadvertent in-flight radio transmission of Southwest captain James Taylor conversing with his first officer. The conversation was peppered with obscenities directed at gay, overweight, and older flight attendants. According to Southwest, the pilot was reprimanded and temporarily suspended without pay and received diversity education before being reinstated.[110][111][112]

On September 26, 2017, a woman was removed from a Southwest flight after claiming to have a life-threatening allergy to dogs, two of which were present on the aircraft, including a service animal. Southwest employees requested that she provide documentation of her condition and staff asked her to exit the aircraft multiple times. Police ultimately had to escort her away.[113][114]

On December 29, 2017, a family was removed from a flight from Chicago Midway Airport because of an unconfirmed head lice accusation. The family did not have lice and was re-accommodated on a flight two days later.[115]

In October 2019, a Southwest flight attendant filed a lawsuit against the airline, claiming that two pilots had livestreamed footage from a camera hidden in the plane's toilet to an iPad, and that one of the pilots said that such cameras were a "top-secret security measure" installed in all of the airline's 737-800 aircraft.[116] Southwest and the pilot union stated that the film was a hoax and a "poor attempt at humor" by one of the pilots, who had previously recorded himself on a different aircraft, fully clothed.[117]

In February 2020, a report conducted by the DOT inspector general found that Southwest was flying airplanes with safety concerns and that the Federal Aviation Administration was failing to properly oversee the airline.[118]

In 2020, a captain of a Southwest flight watched pornography on a laptop computer with his clothes removed while his female first officer continued her duties. The captain retired before the incident was reported, but he was subsequently prosecuted for intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place, and the airline terminated his retirement benefits.[119][120]

On May 23, 2021, a female passenger aboard a Southwest flight repeatedly punched a female flight attendant in the face after landing at San Diego International Airport, causing the attendant to lose two teeth. The passenger was subsequently charged with causing serious bodily injury.[121]

Citing four whistleblowers, federal investigators with the US Office of Special Counsel released a report on July 27, 2022, that follows up on the 2020 DOT inspector general's report. The 2022 report claims that Southwest stonewalled Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigations into maintenance and piloting safety lapses, and criticized the FAA for failing to adequately oversee the airline, stating that senior FAA staff "mismanaged and interfered" with investigations "in the face of SWA's intimidation tactics". The report accuses Southwest of misusing the FAA's Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) to hide pilot errors, while accusing the FAA of failing to adequately oversee Southwest's mechanics, and of failing to adequately vet maintenance records provided by the airline for forty-nine 737 aircraft purchased from foreign carriers whose documentation practices did not meet FAA standards.[122]

### December 2022 holiday meltdown

[edit]

Main article: 2022 Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis

The airline experienced severe delays and thousands of flight cancellations starting on December 21, 2022, and continuing through the Christmas holiday.[14][15][16] While many cancellations were due to bad weather from the severe late December winter storm across much of the United States, industry experts and SWAPA also blamed inadequate staffing and the airline's "outdated" employee scheduling system, citing reports of pilots waiting on hold on the telephone for up to eight hours awaiting work assignments.[123][124] On December 26, the airline initiated a massive system "reset", preemptively canceling thousands of flights and halting ticket sales over concerns that travelers might buy tickets for flights that were subsequently canceled.[124] Federal officials criticized the airline and US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a formal investigation.[125] Some experts attributed the crisis to the lack of scheduling flexibility inherent in the airline's point-to-point operations model.[126] Paul Krugman in The New York Times suggested the turmoil was not as much about corporate greed as some might expect and noted that despite an increasingly digitalized world, "there's a lot of physical action, and real-world labor, going on behind the scenes."[127] Another writer on the paper's opinion pages, Elizabeth Spiers, said this was an example of the airlines knowing they are offering passengers a poor deal but that many people have little choice given the alternatives.[128] In December 2023, the airline reached a settlement and received a record-setting $140 million fine from the USDOT, the largest fine ever imposed by the agency by a factor of roughly 30, and has reported losses exceeding $1.1 billion stemming from the crisis.[14][15][16][17][18]

## See also

[edit]

* Air transportation in the United States
* State Fair Classic, which Southwest Airlines formerly sponsored
* Effect of low-cost airlines on communities
* Transportation in the United States
* Nuts!

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Southwest Airlines 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
2. ^ "Southwest Corporate Fact Sheet". Southwest Airlines Newsroom. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
3. ^ "2018 Traffic Data for U.S Airlines and Foreign Airlines U.S. Flights". United States Department of Transportation BTS. March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
4. ^ "Southwest Airlines Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Results". www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
5. ^ "1966 to 1971". Southwest Airlines Newsroom. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
6. ^ "Southwest Airlines – A Brief History". southwest.com. Southwest Airlines Co. 2009. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2011. "More than 38 years ago, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher got together to start a different kind of airline."
7. ^ "1966 to 1971". swamedia.com. Southwest Airlines Co. 2011. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011. "March 15, 1967 Air Southwest Co. is incorporated."
8. ^ a b "Corporate Fact Sheet". swamedia.com. Southwest Airlines Co. October 24, 2019. Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
9. ^ "Southwest Reports Record Third Quarter Net Income And Earnings Per Share". Southwest Airlines Newsroom. October 24, 2019. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
10. ^ "Southwest Airlines Co. – American corporation". britannica.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
11. ^ "Southwest Airlines begins service in Denver, announces additional flights and destinations". Southwest Airlines. Investor relations. January 3, 2006. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
12. ^ Arnold, Kyle (January 28, 2021). "Southwest Airlines posts first annual loss in 48 years, warns revenues will need to double to break even". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
13. ^ Bryan, Maggie (December 27, 2022). "Nationwide travel nightmare hits Colorado Springs Airport as a domino effect leaves travelers stranded". KOAA News 5. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
14. ^ a b c Shepardson, David (December 18, 2023). "Southwest Airlines agrees to $140 million penalty over 2022 holiday meltdown". Reuters. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
15. ^ a b c Walker, Mark; Chokshi, Niraj (December 18, 2023). "U.S. Fines Southwest Airlines $140 Million for Holiday Meltdown". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
16. ^ a b c Yousif, Nadine (December 18, 2023). "Southwest Airlines fined $140m for holiday meltdown". BBC. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
17. ^ a b "Southwest Airlines reaches $140 million settlement for December 2022 flight-canceling meltdown". AP News. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
18. ^ a b "Southwest fined $140 million over 2022 holiday flight disruptions". NBC News. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
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## External links

[edit]

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