![]() ![]() ![]() Southwest's stock price had declined before its operational meltdown, but the fall had been tracking the overall losses in the stock market. Decades of neglect and patchwork software repairs came to the forefront when a vital software function failed. The software's issues were well-known, but management opted to spend money on stock buybacks and generous executive compensation. However, the airline had experienced excessive flight cancellations before the incident, notably in October 2021. Southwest Airlines tried to blame the issue on the weather and employee callouts. This issue extended to pilots who were in the cockpit and waiting to take off but were unable to due to their inability to connect with the flight scheduling system. However, those crews were experiencing the same issue as all other crews who had their flights canceled. The standard solution is to bring in a flight crew from another location. Employees waiting for hours would enter the time-out period and be barred from working flights. The crew has to call the scheduling system to let the airline know where they'll be and arrange for lodgings while they wait for the next available flight.ĭuring the software meltdown, employees were left on hold for hours while they waited to connect with the system and let it know where they were located.Ĭompounding the problem, employees are subject to Federal Aviation Administration safety regulations requiring flight crews to rest for a specific period between flights. Employees must call the system to let it know where they're currently located.įor example, if a crew has a flight canceled, they won't reach their destination and the next assigned flight. The software used by Southwest Airlines to staff its operations dates to the 1990s and relies on a phone system for employee check-ins. Tryq About Q.ai's Active Indexer Kit | Q.ai - a Forbes company Obsolete software However, the malfunctioning of the antiquated software system used for staffing flights and terminals exposed how Southwest's management had set the airline up for failure. This prompted the company to issue an internal memo that threatened employees would lose their jobs unless they saw a doctor to verify their illness. Southwest initially blamed inclement weather that affected its major hubs, but employees were also calling out sick in large numbers. By December 27, Southwest had canceled approximately 70% of its flight schedule. Many airlines canceled flights, but Southwest canceled roughly 20% of its schedule on December 22, 2022, and continued to do so while other airlines recovered. A major winter storm and cold front affected most of the country three days before Christmas, resulting in dangerous conditions for passenger jets. ![]()
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