The federal government and one of the nation’s largest air carriers learned long ago their systems were dependent on rickety foundations, but didn’t do enough to update technology that could have avoided recent blemishes.
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For Southwest, problems sparked by a winter storm spiraled out of control after the carrier’s staffing system became overwhelmed and lost the ability to keep track of pilots and flight attendants. Two memos obtained by The Washington Post showed executives also were concerned about a shortage of ground workers at two of its busiest airports, in Denver and Baltimore, although the carrier maintains it was fully staffed.
Lyn Montgomery, president of TWU Local 556, which represents Southwest flight attendants, said her first inkling the carrier was facing massive problems also came Dec. 22, when calls from union members began pouring in: Flight attendants were stuck on hold for hours as they tried to reach the scheduling desk, and crew members who had flown to cities in the storm’s path were staying at hotels without heat and water.
At the gate, a Southwest employee was unable to reach anyone who could track down a flight attendant so the plane could depart. The flight was soon canceled. Kotlove and his family were told to return to the service counters outside of security to rebook, only to find a long line of others trying to do the same.Over the next three days, the carrier canceled more than 60 percent of its flights.
Jordan said Southwest will spend $1.3 billion on upgrades this year, an amount that could rise depending on findings of a consulting firm the airline hired to examine the root causes of the problem and offer recommendations on preventing a repeat.
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