On June 21, more than 1,300 Southwest Airlines pilots and crew members gathered and protested outside Dallas Love Field Airport.
The protest had a 9 AM start time and a 12 PM end time. They protested and demanded better control over contracts, working hours, and staff shortages. The union that represents pilots, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), was in charge of the protest.
SWAPA claims that its personnel has been overworked due to understaffing, despite the fact that the demand for air travel has been continuously rising, and has been in contract negotiations with the airline for the past two years.
Captain Casey Murray, a pilot, and SWAPA president, commented on this protest and said:
“Our pilots have had to address the fatigue issue with management publicly, which is something that we never want to do, but ultimately, our pilots have been tired and have been trying to do everything they can.”
1,000+ @SouthwestAir pilots + crew protest outside @DallasLoveField ✈️ pic.twitter.com/2jHKGnLSXu
— Lindsay (@TexasLindsay) June 22, 2022
As seen in the footage shared on the internet, the pilots protested holding signs that said things like “Summer of Luv: delayed, rescheduled, canceled” as well as “Our passengers and pilots deserve better.”
Due to a pilot shortage caused by a rise in travel demand, airlines have recently been forced to postpone or cancel hundreds of flights.
“Southwest Airlines respects the rights of our employees to express their opinions, and we do not anticipate any disruption in service as a result of this single demonstration,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement.
“For 51 years, we’ve maintained a legendary Southwest Culture that honors our valued Employees.”
More than 1,100 Southwest Airlines pilots protested outside Love Field Airport (KDAL) on 21st June.
SWAPA Union aims raising awareness to pilot fatigue, stress, at the same time, asking for better scheduling management,updated contracts & less pressure to work.
📹Markie Martin pic.twitter.com/Y9oFl5bfu9
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) June 22, 2022
Photo cover via Twitter: @TexasLindsay
