A Southwest Airlines plane at a door at Austin-Bergstrom international airport in Austin, Texas on February 16, 2023.
Jordan Vonderhaar | Bloomberg | Getty images
Southwest Airlines Close two bases of on -board agent in the middle of its cost reduction thrust which also led to its first mass layoffs during its over 50 years of flight.
The airline closes the satellite bases of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida and at Austin-Bergstrom in Texas, according to a union memo on board.
“Although the company is in the right to make this decision, it is not without impact on on -board agents,” said the president of the local section 556 of Twu, Bill Bernal.
He said that the union and the company had agreed to withdraw the closure for a month, which made it in force on July 1.
“This allows members affected more time to make arrangements for this change in their professional and personal life,” said Bernal.
Airports are supposedly satellite bases for on-board agents, not drivers and smaller than its main bases.
A southwest spokesperson said that the carrier had opened the bases in early 2018 and that the 280 on-board agents that will be affected can be transferred to the 12 main bases.
“This change will ultimately help strengthen our crew network and support a more reliable operation for our employees and customers,” the airline said in a press release.
The Dallas -based carrier has reduced non -profitable roads, affecting hundreds of front -line employees, including Atlanta. Last month, the airline said it would reduce 15% of corporate staff, or 1,750 people, which would save around $ 210 million this year.
The moves occur after the airline was installed last year with the activist investor Elliott Investment Management, who won five seats in the Southwest Board, a short control. The company also had pressure for Bob Jordan to be replaced as CEO, although it did not succeed.