Southwest Airlines slashing Atlanta flights, reducing service by one-third
FILE - Southwest plane taking off. (Southwest Airlines)
ATLANTA - Southwest Airlines has announced that it is cutting nearly a third of its flights through Atlanta to eliminate unprofitable routes, according to Bloomberg News.
The number of weekly Southwest flights to and from Atlanta will drop from 567 to 381. After the cuts, Southwest will serve 21 cities from Atlanta, down from 37.
It is currently unknown how many jobs in Atlanta will be affected. According to Bloomberg, Southwest said it will offer transfers to impacted employees and does not plan layoffs. However, Bloomberg reported that a memo to employees indicated as many as 200 Atlanta flight attendant jobs could be lost.
The once-maverick airline is under pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management, its second-largest shareholder, to modernize its business and restore profits. Elliott argues that Southwest has fallen behind its rivals in making necessary changes, which has hurt profits and lowered the stock price. The firm is also seeking the removal of Southwest CEO Bob Jordan and an overhaul of the board.
Southwest previously announced that it will end its popular open seating policy and begin charging passengers a fee to select a seat. Elliott is also pushing for Southwest to end its iconic "bags fly free" perk, noting that baggage fees generate significant revenue for other airlines.
In April, Southwest announced it would end service at four unprofitable airports and would "significantly restructure" in other markets, including earlier cuts at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
Southwest also recently announced that it is adding redeye flights from Honolulu to Las Vegas and Phoenix; from Kahului to Las Vegas and Phoenix; and from Kona to Las Vegas. Additionally, it is expanding its service in Nashville.