Southwest informed its pilots that it plans to operate more international flights using Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
This development was sent in a note to members of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association this week and suggests the airline is preparing for expanded service beyond its traditional international footprint.
“Southwest Airlines has informed SWAPA that they wish to add limited international flying on SWA 737-MAX aircraft flown by SWAPA Pilots, which will trigger a re-opener of our CBA per Section 1.M.1.d.: ‘Begin flying international routes, other than Near International routes,’ the union told pilots in the memo viewed by AirlineGeeks.
With this request, the Dallas-based airline and SWAPA will return to the bargaining table. Southwest and SWAPA ratified a new five-year contract last year.
“The Company would like to discuss a Side Letter to address this, and starting next week, your Negotiating Committee and other SMEs will meet with the Company to hear their goals and then brief your Board of Directors in order to prepare for next steps,” SWAPA stated. “While few details are currently known, we believe their asks will be narrow in scope, and we expect negotiations to cover a handful of destinations at most.”
In May, the airline filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation for blanket authority under Open Skies agreements, allowing it to serve any nation with which the U.S. holds such arrangements — over 120 countries in total. While the filing streamlines approval processes for future routes, Southwest emphasized that no immediate route plans were announced.
‘New International Destinations’
“Southwest Airlines is continuing to consider ways to grow our business as we evolve to meet the needs of our current and future customers,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. “One of the things we are exploring is the potential to expand our network to new international destinations on our Boeing 737 aircraft.”
Currently, the carrier serves 13 international destinations, according to Cirium Diio schedule data. These markets are in the Caribbean and Central America.
Southwest began international service a decade ago. In July 2014, it launched flights to Aruba, Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Nassau.
