This problem is not unique to SWA. Ever since deregulation the bean-counters at all airlines have very successfully been trimming the fat from the system. Problem is most of the "fat" is all gone and they are still trimming. The system runs reasonable well until any small hiccup starts an operational crisis. We, meaning all US airlines, are not structured to handle IROPS well. DAL, AAL, UCAL etc we all have had our disaster weeks and we will all have more in the future.

Standby for an Otter paraphrase: We cant hold the employees of the whole airline responsible for the mistakes of a few Bean Counting VPs. For if we are to blame SWA then isn't this an indictment on the airline industry as a whole? And if we blame the whole industry, isn't this is a reflection on the country as a whole? Well Mister, I am not going to sit here and let you badmouth the United States of America!

Yes this episode seems worse than the standard "airline meltdown" but they all seem to be getting progressively worse so maybe next years XYZ AIrline meltdown will be worse than this.

Not sure I would change employers based on a meltdown unless you were already considering leaving.

Scoop