ORLANDO — Flying in the sky is sometimes a headache, but for those flying Southwest over the past few days, things have been a nightmare.
What You Need To Know
- Southwest Airlines has canceled thousands of flights in recent days
- SEE ALSO: 2,300 more cancellations Thursday, company expects return to normal operations Friday
- Flight attendant Corliss King said she believes company infrastructure to blame
- King said those working on the front lines knew immediately when the operation started to fall apart
Corliss King is a Southwest flight attendant and has worked for the company for nearly two decades. King started as a grounds worker, then moved to the sky nearly 13 years ago as a flight attendant. King is also the Vice President of the TWU Local 556 Union, which represents Southwest flight attendants.
She said this issue revealed the overarching problems with the infrastructure Southwest operates on. Although they experienced this hiccup, she said they will rebound, and she thinks it is because of the people that make up the airlines and work for the company on the front lines.
King said those working on the front lines knew immediately when the operation fell apart.
“The transparency was evident when the system failed. We were the first people to see it because we could not get through to share information to get released, to get assignments to say we are in a particular place when they thought we were someone else,” said King. “We didn’t need the transparency; we needed the answers that is what was lacking in that situation.”
While she believes weather played a role in this major breakdown, she says the company’s infrastructure is at the center of this issue.
“The weather certainly was the facilitating factor for what happened, but it exposed what we as a union have been continuously asking for which is improvements in our technology which can expand when our operation needs it,” said King.
The veteran flight attendant believes the response from the company could have been stronger and more unifying if they allowed the flight attendants union a seat at the table to help fix the issue.
“When you talk about Southwest, you talk about a brand that is built on love,” said King. “It is very challenging when you feel like the people you love are not loving you back right now.”
While she thinks there may be some fallout from this issue, she believes in the company and its ability to win back its customers. King said throughout these troubles she saw the best in those working on the front lines.
She added they are seeing a real movement to get these immediate issues resolved.
Spectrum News reached out to Southwest for an interview, but they told us they didn’t have anyone available to speak with us and directed us to their media website.