The email goes on to say, “For 51 years, we’ve maintained a legendary Southwest Culture that honors our valued Employees.” 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.”

Spectrum News 1 reached out to Southwest Airlines’ officials about Tuesday’s picket.Ī spokesperson responded through email, saying, “We’re aware that some off-duty pilots are participating in informational picketing today. Southwest requires 2,500 hours total flight time in a fixed-wing aircraft or 1,500 hours in multi-engine turbine fixed-wing aircraft. And you end up with a 14 hour day, and you end up in Omaha,” Murray said. In order to become an Southwest Airlines pilot, you must earn a Commercial Pilot License, build the required amount of flight experience, and then earn an Airline Transport Pilot License. “You’re scheduled to go out eight hours and end up overnighting in Birmingham, Alabama. Murray described countless situations where Southwest Airlines has rerouted pilots to different locations, leading to longer hours and sometimes they don’t know what city they’ll end up in. He said pilots want industry-leading pay and retirement benefits. The pilot of 30 years says that fatigue for himself and his fellow pilots is at an all-time high. He is the President of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, the pilots union running Tuesday's informational picket. “I brought a lot of these same issues up nine months ago, and really, there have been no proactive steps taken, and our guests are feeling it, our pilots are feeling it,” he added.Ĭaptain Casey Murray speaks to the media. Murray says those problems are no different for employees of Southwest Airlines. The union organized the Tuesday informational picket, intending to get the ball rolling on a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).Īs more people are expected to travel by air for the summer, the airline industry is dealing with a pilot shortage, which has also led to delays, cancellations, and pilots working more hours. Murray is also the president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. “Been flying commercially with just two airlines for over thirty,” Murray said. SWAPA has withdrawn its membership from the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) Southwests 1.4 B purchase of AirTran completed in 2011 Combined airline will fly more than 100m passengers out of more than 100 airports, and international routes 1000 PIC in turbine is now only Preferred. He’s spent the last 15 years working for Southwest Airlines. All pilots are now on the SWA pilot list. The association's president said pilot fatigue is at an all-time highĬaptain Casey Murray was one of those pilots who was out holding a sign with his colleagues.The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association organized the informational picket, hoping to get the ball rolling on a collective bargaining agreement.1,000 Southwest Airlines pilots gathered around the Dallas Love Field Airport on Tuesday to picket, demanding a new contract that brings them industry leading pay.

Southwest airlines pilot