Summary
- Southwest Airlines pilots have voted to authorize a strike.
- The airline is looking to negotiate and avoid disruptions.
- Experts say passengers shouldn’t be overly concerned at this time.
Thankfully, travelers don’t need to worry about any upcoming plans.
As the busy summer travel season approaches, there are already mounting problems for one of the largest low-cost carriers in the United States.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, or SWAPA, announced on Thursday that 99 percent of pilots voted to authorize a strike. Ninety-five percent of pilots in the union participated in the vote.
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“Our negotiating team continues to bargain in good faith and work toward reaching a new agreement to reward our Pilots,” said Southwest Airlines’ Vice President Labor Relations Adam Carlisle said in a statement.
Despite the pilots union’s vote to authorize a strike, the airline points out that, “Southwest’s Pilots are not on strike, and the vote result has no impact on our scheduled operations. We are staffed and prepared to welcome travelers for their summer travel plans.”
The pilots union cites recent technical issues and operational disruptions that have affected travel plans as part of the reasons for the strike.
“The lack of leadership and the unwillingness to address the failures of our organization have led us to this point. Our pilots are tired of apologizing to our passengers on behalf of a company that refuses to prioritize its internal and external customers,” SWAPA’s President Casey Murray said in a statement.
With the news of the strike authorization, aviation experts convey that passengers shouldn’t be overly concerned – yet.
“There are plenty of things for travelers to worry about this summer – a strike by Southwest (or, for that matter, American) pilots isn’t one of them,” notes Going.com’s Founder & Chief Flight Officer Scott Keyes. “Despite Southwest pilots voting this week to authorize a strike, federal law mandates an extensive process for airline labor negotiations, including arbitration, cooling-off periods, and other lengthy steps. While these votes grab headlines, they’re best viewed as a negotiating tactic rather than a precursor to an actual strike.”
