Southwest Airlines to pay employee performance bonuses during vacation crisis

DALLAS – Southwest Airlines is giving bonuses to some of its employees for working during the holiday crisis.

The Dallas-based airline said it would pay its pilots about $45 million in “thank you” payments.

Other employees, including flight attendants, will also receive additional pay.

Southwest Airlines canceled thousands of flights last month as a winter storm caused problems with its planning software.

The company is currently refunding travelers, offering bonus points as an apology, promoting executives, and investing millions of dollars in technology upgrades.

But the effort may be too little, too late.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association is calling for a vote on its first strike, and shareholders are suing the carrier for “downplaying legacy technology.”

Some disgruntled travelers are also suing the company.

Southwest’s financial success in 2022 was undermined by the holiday fiasco.