Southwest Airlines automated scheduling systems malfunction

Malfunctions of US carrier Southwest Airlines' automated flight and crew scheduling systems resulted in the cancellation of over 15,000 flights during poor weather, leaving travelers stranded over Christmas and needing to find alternative transportation.

Southwest used SkySolver and Crew Web Access software to assign flight attendants and pilots to each flight and to correct scheduling interruptions by moving planes and staff around the country as quickly as possible.

However, airline staff, unions, air industry professionals and commentators complained the systems were 'archaic', unable to meet increased demand, and that their overhaul had been put on ice for too long by Southwest's increasingly financial, as opposed to operations-driven, leadership.

Southwest Airlines' new CEO Bob Jordan has since acknowledged the airline's technology troubles, telling employees that 'they’ll be hearing more about our specific plans to ensure the challenges that they’ve faced the past few days will not be part of our future.'