DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Every airline is struggling with passenger loads plummeting during the Coronavirus outbreak, including Dallas-based Southwest where CEO Gary Kelly says it's certainly possible his airline and the entire industry will have to survive what he calls a "very prolonged, sluggish travel environment."
But Kelly says, on the other hand, if there is a sharp rebound after the crisis passes, they are prepared to pick up where they left off. Therefore, he says they are not down-sizing.
But Kelly adds they will likely retire some older aircraft as they had already planned.
Based on Southwest's 2019 Annual Report, the company intends to retire 16 of its more than 500 Boeing 737-700s, a model that was first delivered to Southwest in late 1997.
