America: Following a weekend of massive disruptions blamed on adverse weather and air traffic control concerns, Southwest Airlines cancelled more than 350 flights on Monday.
The firm was accused by the pilots union of botching a response to what it stated would have been a small difficulty for other carriers. Passengers were trapped and sweltering from California to the East Coast for the third day in a row due to cancelled and delayed flights.
According to the FlightAware tracking service, the cancellations accounted for 10% of Southwest’s schedule, and at least 1,400 additional flights, or nearly 40%, were delayed. Southwest Airlines Co’s stock dropped 4.2 percent.
The severe disruptions started shortly after the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, which represents 9,000 pilots, sued a federal court to stop the airline’s directive that all employees be vaccinated on Friday. Southwest must discuss over the matter, according to the union, because it could result in sick leave or disability if pilots have a reaction to the vaccine.
Southwest and American pilots’ unions have also complained that management has been too tardy in returning pilots from leaves of absence that the airlines urged them to take during the pandemic, leaving the airlines short-staffed. However, fewer flights are limiting Southwest’s options for accommodating stranded travelers.
On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed delays in parts of Florida, but disputed Southwest’s claim of air-traffic control. Employee protests over vaccinations, according to Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King, did not cause the disruptions.
Not only were some passengers irritated by flight delays, but they were also irritated by the absence of a clear explanation. Others were simply worried with returning home.
Southwest’s costs would rise as a result of the weekend issues, according to Savanthi Syth, an airline analyst with Raymond James, and the company’s tense relations with unions will worsen.
Southwest has had a difficult summer with a high number of flight delays and cancellations. It said in August that it will cut 27 flights per day, or less than 1%, from its September schedule and 162 flights per day, or 4.5 percent, from early October to November 5.
Because airlines are federal contractors who are paid by the Defense Department to run aircraft, including those that transported Afghan refugees to the United States last summer, the White House has pressed them to implement vaccine regulations. United Airlines was the first major American airline to enforce vaccinations. Even after President Joe Biden announced his edict for federal contractors and significant employers, Southwest stayed mute.
Southwest finally informed employees this week that they needed be completely vaccinated by December 8 in order to keep their jobs. For medical or religious reasons, employees can opt out of the vaccinations.
