A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 taxi plane arrived at the door after landing at Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on April 6, 2021.
Kamil Krzaczynski | AFP | Getty Images
On Friday, Southwest Airlines apologized to staff after unions complained about this summer’s grueling schedules and said it would be weighing in on schedule changes later this year.
The carrier added more flights to its schedule compared to some of its competitors, an effort to capitalize on increased travel demand.
The increase in customer demand meant a welcome change compared to “a year ago, but we have to be honest with ourselves: it has also been a weight in our operation and a major pressure for all of you. And that’s why I’m sincerely sorry, ”COO Mike Van de Ven wrote in a staff note, which was seen by CNBC.
Van de Ven said the company “continues to evaluate our fourth quarter flight schedules and we are seriously looking at flight levels to ensure that our flight is aligned with the staffing needed to operate in this COVID environment. more complicated “.
The Southwest Pilots Union said Thursday it was considering pickets at U.S. airports for Thanksgiving and Christmas to protest very busy schedules, lack of hotels and food options and other issues.
“We will not follow our traditional staffing models as we reevaluate where we are in October, November and December,” he wrote. “You first.“
Southwest declined to comment further.
Earlier this week, Spirit Airlines said it would cut part of its schedule for the rest of the third quarter after more than 2,800 cancellations cost the company about $ 50 million.