Southwest Announces First Layoffs in History: Which Roles?

Roughly 15% of Southwest Airlines‘ corporate staff – “focused almost entirely on corporate overhead and leadership positions” – will be eliminated over the next several months, the company’s first layoffs in its 50+ year history. The move comes as the carrier aims to cut costs in line with its shrinking growth plans for the next several years.

We are at a pivotal moment as we transform Southwest Airlines into a leaner, faster, and more agile organization.

– Bob Jordan, President, Chief Executive Officer & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

---

---

As part of the move the company filed the necessary WARN Act public notice with the Texas Workforce Commission last week. Roughly a third of the positions – 626 out of 1,750 total – are expected to be eliminated at the airlines headquarters in Dallas.

Reviewing the job titles listed in that filing is telling in terms of where Southwest is cutting. More than 60 roles associated with “learning” within the company will be eliminated, for example.

Perhaps more surprising is the planned cuts across software and technology. The WARN suggests 121 roles will be eliminated covering those job titles. Roughly half of those are analysts and engineers. The other half are managers and project managers. Given the airlines’ recent history of IT-related challenges and promised investments in that aspect of the business this certainly raises questions.

---

---

The remaining 1,100+ roles to be eliminated appear to be distributed across other states. Or at least not all in the company HQ. Perhaps WARN filings will show up for some of them as well. But, for now, this is an interesting look into where the cuts are coming.