Southwest Airlines has experienced a lot of cancellations and delays this weekend. The carriers explanation is not very convincing.
Southwest cancels 1,800+ Flights
Southwest Airlines cancelled over 1,800 flights on Saturday and Sunday. This was as of Sunday at 9 AM. Expect worse. FlightAware dаta:
Southwest cancelled 808 flights (24 percent of the schedule), and delayed 1,154 flights (35%).
Southwest cancelled 1,007 flights (27%) and delayed 120 flights (3%) on Sunday, October 10, 2021.
You can expect cancellations and delays to rise dramatically throughout the day and into Monday and Tuesday due to the domino effect of airline irregular operations.
Southwest blames ATC and weather for cancellations
Why are there so many cancellations at Southwest this weekend? This is why Southwest has had so many cancellations this weekend.
American cancelled 66 flights on Saturday (2% of the scheduled flights), Delta cancelled 16 flights (less that 1%) and United canceled 11 flights.
American cancelled 63 flights (2%) and Delta cancelled three (less that 1%) on Sunday. United cancelled six flights (less then 1%)
It is not clear that the ATC system used by all airlines is identical. There are also large overlaps in terms of hubs among these airlines. When Southwest experienced an operational meltdown, it was not surprising that the airline blamed ATC and wait for it weather.
Fairness aside, there were major problems with Jacksonville's air traffic control. Southwest does have a substantial presence at the airport but it doesnt explain all the issues we've seen. While weather and ATC may have contributed partially to Southwest's problems, they don't tell the whole story.
Southwest blames ATC & weather in its problems
Is there a real reason Southwest is having problems?
Since the pandemic, staffing has been a constant problem in the airline industry. Numerous major airlines in the United States are experiencing staff shortages, particularly for pilots and flight attendants.
Many airline employees chose to take early retirement or get voluntary separation packages. With the recovery of demand so rapid, more staff is needed. Although airlines may have enough flight attendants and pilots to meet their needs, there is no guarantee that they will have enough staff on hand in case of delays, cancellations or sick calls.
Another problem with the airline industry is the phenomenon of the domino effect, which can lead to unscheduled operations. The operations of airline flights are extremely complex. A plane that has a problem at one location can cause major problems down the road.
There could be more. According to my understanding, a large number of Southwest pilots called in sick this weekend. This is more than usual. It is unclear what caused this, but the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which requested a court to stop the airline from mandating vaccinations, was following Friday's request by a court.
SWAPA had filed a lawsuit against Southwest claiming that Southwest was violating labor laws. The union doesn't want Southwest to be able require vaccinations (in accordance with the federal mandate), until the existing issues are resolved. Union claims the airline is violating the Railway Labor Act, including requiring vaccination. This Act is supposed to regulate relations between unions and airlines.
It is hard to believe that this weekend's sick call by so many pilots has happened at such a convenient time.
Bottom line
Southwest Airlines has been experiencing an avalanche of cancellations and delays over the weekend. I expect this trend to continue and possibly even worsen. The airline blames ATC and the weather for these cancellations, essentially saying it doesn't have any control. It seems that Southwest is the only airline to have been affected to this degree, which makes it hard to believe.
My understanding is that more pilots called in sick than usual this weekend. This coincides with the fact that the union yesterday brought legal action against the airline for violating the vaccine mandate. Coincidence? Please tell me!
The lack of spare staff at major airlines means that it can take longer for things to go right, regardless of what action is being taken.
Don't expect a Southwest flight to operate as scheduled if you book it in the next few days.
Are you a victim of the Southwest Airlines chaos on Saturday?
