Southwest Airlines cuts flights to avoid delays, cancellations

Jeff Flock of FOX Business on airport delays and canceled flights when bottlenecks surfaced.

Southwest Airlines is cutting its flight schedule through the end of 2021 to reduce delays and cancellations.

The company faces the same problems as other major airlines as labor shortages and unsafe travel trends persist amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Southwest is canceling 27 daily flights scheduled between September 7th and October 6th and an additional 162 daily flights will be canceled between October 7th and November 5th. After the adjustments, the average daily flights for these periods will be 3,304 and 3,420 respectively.

Over the summer, Southwest got hot for the cancellation of thousands of flights and cut 40% of its flight schedule in just one weekend. An airline spokesman told FOX Business at the time: “As the weather radar has shown for the past few days, cancellations for convective thunderstorms are across the country from Denver and Chicago to Houston, Dallas, the Gulf Coast and Florida – all of which are our busiest areas Flight plans. “

Southwest Airlines is cutting its flight schedule through the end of 2021 to reduce delays and cancellations. (Southwest Airlines / Stephen M. Keller)

“We sincerely apologize to every Southwest customer who has fallen short of expectations with us this summer,” said Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly in a statement Thursday. “We are confident that these adjustments will create a more reliable travel experience.”

The Dallas-based airline said it will take similar steps for the rest of the year – except during times of heavy vacation travel.

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Southwest said earlier this month that the Delta variant is hurting its business, suggesting a decline in bookings and an increase in event cancellations across the country amid fears of a further spike in the outbreak.

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