Southwest Airlines offers employees double pay to take extra shifts on Independence Day weekend

Southwest Airlines is offering employees higher overtime pay in early July to encourage them to pick up shifts to help avoid flight disruptions during an expected surge in Independence Day weekend travel.

The Dallas-based airline had canceled hundreds of flights and delayed others this month due to bad weather and a technical glitch.

Airlines are struggling to address the increased demand for air travel after a slump during the pandemic.

In a memo to employees, Sonya Lacore, Southwest’s vice president of inflight operations, said that flight attendants would get double pay for picking up open shifts over that period.

Southwest is also offering double pay to ground and cargo operations crew.

In a separate staff note, Southwest’s executive vice president of daily operations Alan Kasher said they would be increasing overtime pay from July 1 through July 7 while acknowledging that the staff is frustrated with the airline's network reliability and irregular operations.

Meanwhile, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association failed to reach an incentive agreement with the company for the aviators to pick up more flying.

The pilots' union found Southwest's offer of double pay for those who pick up the shifts as inadequate.