Southwest CEO: Debacle With Mechanics Is Costing the Airline Millions Weekly

Southwest's debacle with its mechanics union could be costing the company millions each week, according to statements from CEO Gary Kelly Tuesday.The chief executive told a group of analysts at a New York J.P. Morgan conference that the company was costing millions lost revenues from flight cancellations and delays.The airline declared an operational emergency in mid-February and apologized to customers in the subsequent days as mechanical issues took planes out of service thereby delaying and cancelling hundreds of flights each day.Southwest passengers have been dealing with unfavorable travel conditions for almost a month, while tension between the mechanics union and the airline has only increased now that a lawsuit has been filed by the company. The airline and mechanics union have been in contract negotiations for six years.  Continue reading...