Question

Which factors can adversely impact turnaround times at Southwest Airlines?

Answer 1

There are many factors that can affect the turnaround times at SWA. First, wehave the obviously weather delays. Seasonal weather such as snow storms, blizzards, hurricanes, sleet, freezing rain and even fog can delay a plane from leaving or arriving at its scheduled time. Second, we have the unexpected maintenance issues at the gate which can slow down the flow of operations. Third, we have the customer experience and their familiarity with SWA’s policy and procedures.Fourth, we have the size and number of carry-on bags. If the bag is larger than the required size, the bag has to now be checked in at the gate. If there are more than two bags, then space in the overhead compartments fill up and passengers struggle to find a place for the bag instead of getting to their seat. Fifth, there could also be a learning curve with the SWA employees on the processes for boarding passengers. Finally, we have the mix in the type of passengers between passengers who are traveling for business and those who are traveling for leisure.