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Southwest Airlines is set to reduce service to and from Atlanta next year, cutting over 300 pilot and flight attendant positions, as outlined in a company memo obtained by CNBC. The decision comes ahead of Southwest’s investor day, where executives will outline plans to enhance revenue and cut costs amidst pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management. The airline will decrease staffing by up to 200 flight attendants and 140 pilots for the April 2025 bid month, without closing its crew base in Atlanta. While the crews are not being laid off, they may need to bid to work from other cities.

Southwest will scale down its Atlanta presence from 18 to 11 gates next year, servicing 21 cities from Atlanta starting April, a decrease from 37 in March. The airline emphasized that the decision to make these adjustments is necessary to restore profitability, expressing pride in its employees’ hospitality efforts. Additionally, Southwest announced an expanded schedule, selling tickets through June 4 and revealed plans to boost service to and from Nashville, Tennessee. Overnight flights from Hawaii, commencing April 8, were also disclosed, including routes from Honolulu to Las Vegas and Phoenix, Kona to Las Vegas, and Maui to Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Southwest has been strategically retreating from certain airports and optimizing its network to align with customer demand efficiently. The airline is facing challenges such as evolving booking patterns, oversupply in specific U.S. markets, and aircraft delays from Boeing, compounded by the delayed delivery of its 737 Max 7 airplanes. COO Andrew Watterson indicated the need for difficult decisions to enhance profits, signaling the airline’s ongoing efforts to adapt to industry realities. Despite Southwest’s reduction in Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport and Delta Air Lines’ home hub, the airline is continuously evolving, with recent plans to overhaul its seating arrangements and offer enhanced amenities on its aircraft.

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