Southwest Airlines declares 'operational emergency,' orders mechanics to report for work or risk

[TexasTowelie]

Southwest Airlines declares 'operational emergency,' orders mechanics to report for work or risk firing


Southwest Airlines Co. declared an "operational emergency" Friday because of an unusually high number of aircraft taken out of service for maintenance, and ordered all scheduled mechanics to show up for work or risk being fired.

Workers "alleging illness" will be required to provide a doctor's note on their first day back at work, the Dallas-based airline said in a memo. Some workers might be called in on overtime, the carrier said, and those refusing to report for duty could face firing.

"This is not the type of communication I (or any leader) want to issue, but it is necessary to get our aircraft back in service in order to serve our customers," according to the memo from Lonnie Warren, senior director of technical operations.

The number of planes taken out of service recently has more than doubled from the daily average of about 20, Southwest said in a statement, "with no common theme among the reported items." The carrier had 750 Boeing Co. 737 aircraft in its fleet at the end of 2018, and operational planners have been working to minimize the impact on customers.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/southwest-airlines/2019/02/15/southwest-airlines-declares-operational-emergency-orders-mechanics-report-work-risk-firing

[Glamrock]

1. Jesus Ka-riste

Can't wait to fly again.

[Grokenstein]

2. Not Just A Low-Fare Airline, THE Low-Fare Airline

...was their old slogan. But that money's gotta come from somewhere, consumer. What corners have they been cutting?

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Kerosene

They have been experts in playing the fuel market for decades.
They got positions so strong, at times they were selling fuel to other carriers at a substantial mark up, but still below market price by a bit.
They then bought their own old refinery and converted cracking conditions and distillation to max out kerosene yield.
They have cut corners by paying less for fuel since they first started.
There other amenities they've cut for sure, but I don't believe maintenance has been an issue before.
This list shows them as Top 10 in safety.
Today (January 8, 2018): Top 10: world's safest airlines that have never had a major accident.
FINNAIR.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES.
JETBLUE.
QANTAS.
QATAR AIRWAYS.
RYANAIR.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC.
They did have a crash on a commuter airline partner in Chicago about 10 years ago, though.

[democratisphere]

3. I'll stick with the Greyhound bus. If it fails, I am already on the ground.

The adversarial relationship Southwest Airlines management has with their mechanics doesn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

[pecosbob]

4. I believe they cut costs originally by flying only one aircraft, the 737

and limiting in-flight service...the peanut fares.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

5. The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves.

[Buckeyeblue]

6. I have to fly southwest a week from Tuesday...

[Mr. Quackers]

7. I always wondered why the store is always full like the night before Thanksgiving

at 2 pm on a Tuesday afternoon.

Everyone must not work, be independently wealthy, or no one must work regular hours anymore.

[mn9driver]

9. The mechanics have been in contract negotiations for almost 7 years.

During that time there have been no wage increases for them. None.

The Railway Labor Act makes it virtually impossible for unions to strike at major airlines; it basically comes down to the President giving his permission. That will never happen. AMFA, the union representing Southwest mechanics, could be sued out of existence if they were found to have been involved in an illegal labor action.

What is going on is known as “work to rule”. The mechanics are doing their jobs EXACTLY as written. It is a grass roots thing and the union cannot be involved in any way. You can bet that Southwest has a team of investigators searching for any hint of that.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

10. what if NO mechanics show up?

Will it get those aircraft back in operation faster if all of the mechanics call in sick and get fired for it?

Are there trained, qualified aircraft mechanics stacked up, just waiting for job openings outside SW offices?

How quickly can SW become profitable if they fire everybody in management while giving raises to everybody who actually works?

[kairos12]

11. I'm flying SW tomorrow. Better bring some duct tape for repairs.