Business Wars Can Southwest Airlines Survive? | Hard Landing | 1
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Aug 13, 2025 In 2021, Southwest Airlines faced a staggering annual net loss as the pandemic reshaped the air travel landscape. Workers rushed towards early retirement, leaving the airline struggling with staffing shortages when demand surged. A brutal winter storm revealed the cracks in their outdated technology, stranding millions. Protests erupted over labor conditions, reflecting growing tensions as flight attendants demanded better treatment. Amid rising costs and a changing industry, the question looms: can the airline recover and soar again?
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Christmas Storm That Broke The System
- A December bomb cyclone stranded millions and froze Southwest's operations, leaving passengers without planes or bags over Christmas.
- The Network Operations Center had to manually reassign crews because SkySolver couldn't handle the scale of disruption.
Passenger Tastes Outgrew Low-Cost Focus
- Post-pandemic demand and rising costs exposed limits of Southwest's low-cost model.
- Passengers now want premium seats and international routes that low-cost carriers often don't offer.
Violence And Burnout In The Cabin
- A 2021 onboard assault on a flight attendant highlighted stress from enforcing COVID rules amid rising unruly behavior.
- The FAA recorded over 5,700 unruly-passenger incidents in 2021, worsening staff burnout.