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Southwest Airlines — news, coverage & facts — IJR

Employment

As of January 30, 2025, Southwest Airlines had 72,450 active full-time equivalent employees. According to The Washington Post, it uses the hiring motto of seeking people that have a "Servant's Heart, Warrior Spirit, Fun-LUVing Attitude". It also uses the internal practice of ranking "employees first, customers second". Southwest Airlines pilots are represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association union.

Bob Jordan became Southwest's sixth CEO on February 1, 2022, replacing Gary C. Kelly. Kelly continues as chairman of Southwest Airlines. Kelly replaced Jim Parker on July 15, 2004, and assumed the title of president on July 15, 2008, replacing former president Colleen Barrett.

In September 2024, in response to pressure from Elliott Investment Management, Kelly announced that he would not seek reelection as executive chairman in 2025. Jordan is expected to remain as CEO. On October 24, 2024, Kelly announced he would accelerate his retirement, which – along with the previously announced retirements of six other Southwest directors – would go into effect on November 1, 2024. Rakesh Gangwal was announced as independent chair of the board of directors three days later. Gangwal stepped down as chair on August 1, 2025, and Doug Brooks was announced as the new independent chair of the board.

About 83% of Southwest employees are members of a union. The Southwest Airline Pilots' Association, a union not affiliated with the Air Line Pilots Association, represents the airline's pilots. The aircraft maintenance technicians are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association. Customer service agents and reservation agents are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union. Flight dispatchers, flight attendants, ramp agents, and operations agents are represented by the Transport Workers Union.

The company has appeared on various "best places to work" list, with its employee culture mentioned by Travel and Leisure, CNBC, and Forbes. The company has also been named to Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies" list, reaching number 14 in 2021.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Southwest never furloughed an employee. As a result of the pandemic, the company launched voluntary separation and extended time-off programs in 2020, and around 16,900 employees volunteered to take an early retirement or long-term leave. Roughly 24% were pilots and 33% were flight attendants. In late 2020, the airline issued some WARN Act notices and announced incipient pay cuts for many employees in response to pandemic impacts, but these measures were rescinded after the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was enacted on December 27, 2020, providing additional financial aid to US airlines.

The latest five-year labor contract for Southwest Airlines pilots was approved in January 2024.

Following the Elliot board takeover in February 2025, Southwest laid off 1,750 of its non-contract staff, approximately 15% of its corporate workforce.

Accidents and incidents

Southwest Airlines has been involved in the following accidents:

March 5, 2000 – Flight 1455: A Boeing 737-300 (registration N668SW) overran the runway upon landing at Burbank Airport in California, injuring 44 people. The captain was later dismissed, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Two people were seriously injured, and 42 had minor injuries.

August 11, 2000 – Flight 1763: A Boeing 737-700 (registration N798SW) en route from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Salt Lake City, Utah, experienced an air rage incident in which a passenger attempted to storm the cockpit. He was restrained by other passengers but died of asphyxiation during the struggle. One other passenger sustained a minor injury.

December 8, 2005 – Flight 1248: A Boeing 737-700 (registration N471WN) overran the runway during landing at Chicago Midway International Airport in Illinois during heavy snow, striking several cars on a nearby street and killing a six-year-old boy. Several passengers and people on the ground were injured. One person on the ground was killed, nine others were seriously injured, and three people on board sustained minor injuries.

July 13, 2009 – Flight 2294: A Boeing 737-300 (registration N387SW) operating from Nashville International Airport to Baltimore/Washington International Airport diverted to Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, after a hole formed in the fuselage near the tail, causing cabin depressurization. The aircraft landed safely and was later repaired. No injuries were reported. Following the incident, Boeing issued a service bulletin recommending additional inspections to detect potential cracking in this area of the fuselage skin. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently issued an airworthiness directive mandating these inspections for all Boeing 737 Classic aircraft.

April 1, 2011 – Flight 812: A Boeing 737-300 (registration N632SW) diverted to Yuma International Airport after a hole appeared in the fuselage while en route from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Sacramento International Airport. The aircraft landed safely. Two passengers sustained minor injuries. The incident was similar to Flight 2294 and prompted the FAA to issue a second airworthiness directive requiring more frequent inspections.

July 22, 2013 – Flight 345: A Boeing 737-700 (registration N753SW) suffered a hard landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport after a flight from Nashville International Airport. The nose gear collapsed and penetrated the electronics bay, causing the aircraft to slide off the runway. The captain was dismissed, and the aircraft was scrapped. Ten passengers sustained minor injuries.

August 4, 2016 – Flight 149: A Boeing 737-300 (registration N368SW) suffered a nose gear collapse during pushback at Baltimore/Washington International Airport after a tug operator exceeded safe towing speed. The aircraft sustained severe damage and was written off. No one was injured.

August 27, 2016 – Flight 3472: A Boeing 737-700 (registration N766SW) suffered an uncontained engine failure while en route from New Orleans to Orlando, damaging the engine nacelle and fuselage. The aircraft diverted safely to Pensacola International Airport. No one was injured.

April 17, 2018 – Flight 1380: A Boeing 737-700 (registration N772SW) suffered an uncontained engine failure while en route from New York–LaGuardia to Dallas, causing debris to shatter a window. Cabin depressurization partially ejected a passenger, who later died from her injuries. Eight other passengers sustained minor injuries.