DALLAS- According to Reuters sources familiar with the matter, Southwest Airlines (WN) is considering reducing pilots’ hours, consequently affecting their monthly pay.
This move comes as the airline grapples with increased costs and overstaffing resulting from delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing.
Photo: Southwest AirlinesSouthwest Cuts Pilot Pays
As an all-Boeing fleet operator based in Dallas, Southwest has been significantly impacted by the ongoing safety issues surrounding the U.S. planemaker.
Last week, the airline cautioned of potential earnings setbacks due to its anticipated receipt of only 20 Boeing aircraft this year, a mere fraction of its original projections.
The delays have presented Southwest with substantial challenges for both the current year and the next, prompting the airline to adjust its growth forecasts.
Implementing reduced hours for pilots is seen as a strategy to mitigate Southwest’s payroll expenses without resorting to layoffs. Additionally, it aims to ensure compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for pilot presence in the cockpit, allowing the company flexibility to scale up operations as necessary.
The implementation of this plan is anticipated to commence around September and is projected to extend to hundreds of pilots, as indicated by one of the sources.
Photo: By Eric Salard – N559WN LAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44649799Boeing Crisis
Boeing’s ongoing crisis, triggered by a mid-air cabin panel blowout incident on an Alaska Airlines (AS) flight in January, continues to reverberate throughout the aviation industry.
Airlines have found themselves compelled to adopt fleet strategies, trim capacity, and address surplus staffing.
A spokesperson for Southwest remarked that the company has yet to finalize an agreement with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which represents its pilots.
Casey Murray, the head of SWAPA, told Reuters that the pilot union has initiated discussions with the company regarding Boeing’s delivery issues.
While Southwest has not officially reached a decision regarding staffing surplus, Murray indicated that SWAPA anticipates engaging in these discussions imminently.
According to union data, Southwest employs approximately 12,000 pilots who typically log around 100 flight hours per month.
Currently, a new junior pilot at the carrier earns roughly $116 per hour, while a captain at the pinnacle of the pay scale earns approximately $317 per hour.
Photo: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 | This was the first time … | FlickrFlight Cuts from Chicago and Atlanta
Southwest intends to implement cost-cutting measures by discontinuing operations at four airports in August and downsizing its presence in markets such as Chicago (ORD) and Atlanta (ATL).
Additionally, the airline has halted all recruitment activities except for a select number of essential positions and anticipates concluding the year with approximately 2,000 fewer employees compared to 2023. Furthermore, it foresees a reduction in headcount next year due to additional decreases in total seat capacity.
Southwest has already extended voluntary unpaid time-off opportunities to employees in ground operations, call centers, and flight attendants to mitigate labor expenses.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Also Read: US Airlines, Including American, United, Delta, and Southwest, want you to Dress Properly – Aviation A2Z
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.
Southwest Make New Changes to 737 MAX 7 Order, Discontinues 4 Destinations
Source: Reuters
The post Southwest to Cut Pilots Pays Amid New Boeing Delivery Delays and More appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
![88 nowych policjantów złożyło uroczyste ślubowanie [ZDJĘCIA]](https://cdn2.nowiny.pl/im/v1/news-900-widen-wm/2024/09/21/234177_1726948252_08808400.webp)