Southwest to probe aircraft groundings

Bloomberg

Southwest Airlines Co. said it would investigate the cause of an operational emergency that’s seen an “unprecedented number” of aircraft taken out of service for mechanical issues, and indicated the groundings may be related to ongoing contract talks with a labour union.
The disruptions started February 12, days after the airline’s last contract talks with the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, Southwest said in a statement. The carrier declared an emergency on February 15, saying maintenance employees risked being fired if they declined to take overtime assignments or failed to show up for work as scheduled, unless they have a doctor’s note.
Southwest, which has been in contract talks with the union representing its 2,700 mechanics for more than six years, has been frustrated in its efforts to reach a deal as it seeks to keep costs in check. Union members in September rejected an agreement that would have provided both annual pay increases and a bonus. The carrier, having had to take more than double the normal amount of planes out of service daily, said the union “has a history of work disruptions,” resulting in two lawsuits by the airline.
“We will be investigating this current disruption and are exploring all possible remedies,” the Dallas-based airline’s Chief Operating Officer Michael Van de Ven said. The carrier apologized to its customers for canceled flights and, in some cases “extremely long delays.”
Southwest has scrapped 519 flights since February 15, according to FlightAware.com, although the total includes flights grounded by weather. A breakdown by cause wasn’t available. The carrier added its Dallas maintenance center to those in Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Orlando that originally were covered by the alert.