On Tuesday, more than 1,300 pilots from Southwest Airlines protested at a Dallas airport, complaining that the company overworked and understaffed them.
Southwest Airlines and the pilots’ union, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, have been in contract negotiations for the past two years at the time of the protest.
Due to the pilot scarcity and increased travel demand due to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions worldwide, there have been an increasing number of flight delays and cancellations in recent months.
Even though the entire industry suffers from the pilot shortage, Southwest Airlines’ poor scheduling procedures for pilots, according to SWAPA, have worsened the situation.
The union claimed that because of the labor shortage and harsh weather, its 8,300 members had been subjected to frequent flight reassignments and impromptu scheduling adjustments, according to SWAPA president Capt. Casey Murray, around a third of pilots, is moved every day.
According to SWAPA, they have seen an increase in pilots calling out due to exhaustion due to constantly shifting schedules and overscheduling.
The problem is hoped to be resolved by a new contract, which has been in the works since 2020.
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