Southwest Airlines to Close Flight Attendant Bases in Cost-Cutting Move
Southwest Airlines has announced plans to close two of its flight attendant bases in an effort to streamline operations and reduce costs. The airline will close its satellite bases at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Texas, both of which only house flight attendants, not pilots. The closures are scheduled for July 2025, with the 280 affected flight attendants being relocated to nearby crew hubs.
The closures are part of Southwest’s ongoing efforts to maximize operational efficiency and reliability, according to a statement from Southwest Airlines spokesman Chris Perry. “We are consolidating our flight attendant satellite bases into our primary 12 base cities as we work to further maximize our operational efficiency and reliability,” Perry told The Dallas Morning News.
The decision is part of a broader initiative outlined in Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan’s “transformational plan,” which aims to improve efficiency and reduce costs over the next three years. In February 2025, Jordan informed employees that the company would be reducing its workforce, focusing mainly on corporate and leadership roles.
“This decision affects approximately 1,750 employee roles, or 15% of corporate positions,” said Jordan, calling the move an unprecedented step in the airline’s 53-year history. “Change requires that we make difficult decisions. We are at a pivotal moment as we transform Southwest Airlines into a leaner, faster, and more agile organization,” he added.
Southwest projects that its cost-cutting measures and workforce reductions will result in savings of approximately $210 million for the partial year of 2025, with full-year savings expected to reach $300 million in 2026. These moves are part of the airline’s efforts to adapt to changing market conditions while maintaining operational efficiency.
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