Southwest trims flying schedule after outcry

Bloomberg

Southwest Airlines Co will reduce its flight schedule for the last four months of the year after employees assailed the discount carrier for understaffing operations during a summer marred by delays and cancellations.
Average daily flights will fall by 27 to 3,304 from September 7 through October 6, Southwest said in an emailed statement. The carrier will cull an average of 162 flights a day from October 7 to November 5, leaving about 3,420. Other schedule adjustments are likely for non-holiday periods in November and December, the company said.
“To any Southwest customer whose journey with us fell short of their expectation this summer, we offer our sincerest apologies,” said Southwest Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly. He told employees, “As our business recovery continues, we’re 100% dedicated to improving the quality of your work day.”
Southwest unveiled the schedule cuts two weeks after warning that surging virus infections were crimping sales and prompting customers to cancel flight reservations. The company has also absorbed a wave of employee criticism, with flight attendants complaining of overwork and
pilots threatening to protest publicly if operations don’t
improve.
Southwest suffered a rash
of delayed and canceled flights this summer as travel
rebounded.