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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSouthwest Airlines warns it may cut jobs without jump in travel
CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly told employees on Monday it needs a dramatic jump in passenger demand or it will be forced to take new steps to reduce staffing.
Employees face a Wednesday deadline whether to participate in a voluntary incentive program to leave the airline.
"Although furloughs and layoffs remain our very last resort, we cant rule them out as a possibility obviously in this very bad environment," Kelly said in a message to employees. "We need a significant recovery by the end of this year and thats roughly triple the number of passengers from where we are today."
Kelly added that the "recent rise in COVID cases and increasing regional restrictions on businesses and states requiring quarantine arent positive developments for our business, and we are concerned about the impact on already weak travel demand."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/southwest-airlines-warns-it-may-need-job-cuts-without-jump-in-travel/ar-BB16Gjhz?li=BBnbfcN&ocid=DELLDHP
NCjack
(10,279 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,792 posts)send my your retirement checks or I'll have to go off the air.
Quemado
(1,262 posts)The terms of the stimulus package prohibit airlines from involuntarily separating employees before October 1.
Initech
(100,149 posts)I love traveling and I had to cancel 3 trips this year, no way am I setting foot in an airport right now.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)Now that companies are discovering that many business meetings can be done just as easily and effectively on Zoom or similar platforms, and a zillion times more cheaply, I doubt that business travel will return to its former levels. And business travel is the heart and soul of the airline industry. Some business will still require travel, but I think it will be reduced overall.
Individual travel for pleasure or family, of course, will rebound ... some day. But more people may be willing to travel domestically by other means for some time.
Dem2theMax
(9,661 posts)Sheltering in place for the foreseeable future.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)Not getting on any airplane
JCMach1
(27,591 posts)Skittles
(153,310 posts)who is gong to fly somewhere and then have to isolate for 14 days?