Southwest to trim 190 flights this winter

DALLAS – Southwest Airlines Co., which had resisted the kinds of capacity cuts being made by other carriers, will eliminate nearly 200 flights early next year as it struggles with high fuel costs and a weakening economy.

The move raised doubts about the company’s publicly stated goal of growing modestly in 2009 despite the airline industry’s troubles.


Now, Southwest will cut 196 flights while adding only six new ones in its schedule that takes effect Jan. 11.

That is nearly 6 percent of the airline’s daily schedule of close to 3,400 flights.

AP