SWA Focusing on Rebounding After Crash..

Southwest, who is currently in rebound mode, has canceled a number of flights over the course of last week to conduct inspections on aircraft in the fleet with that engine type. The airline canceled 40 flights last Sunday, 130 on Monday, and nearly 200 more over the course of the week.

“I’ve been very pleased with the preliminary findings, which reveal no cracks or fatigue,” Kelly told USA Today about the inspections.


Less seen, the airline also pulled all of their advertisements down from local and national television and social media because they strive to push for upbeat, exciting ads that the airline felt should not be shown in what for many was a time of mourning. As of Saturday, the airline had resumed some marketing, but was yet to get back on TV and social media.


On Thursday, Southwest said bookings fell after the incident, which executives estimate to $50 million and $100 million in losses. The airline attributed that to not only the publicity that came from the incident but also their decision to pull advertisements afterward.


Airline analyst at JP Morgan Jamie Baker said in a report Southwest should not see long-term changes as a result of the incident, blaming the drop in sales after the increased publicity on the “CNN effect.”
“Traffic will rebound, but it’s not there yet,” Southwest President Tom Nealon said on the airline’s quarterly earnings conference call.


After the incident, the airline offered passengers $5,000 and $1,000 travel vouchers. Saturday morning, however, news broke that a passenger on flight 1380 alleging that, since the incident, she has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.
The lawsuit—which names CFM International as well as suppliers Safran SA and General Electric Aviation—states Lilia Chavez “witnessed the horror as the force of the depressurization pulled an innocent passenger partially through the shattered window.”