Southwest cancels 1,000 flights amid row with pilots union over compulsory ...

Southwest cancels 1,000 flights amid row with pilots union over compulsory ...
Southwest cancels 1,000 flights amid row with pilots union over compulsory ...

Southwest Airlines has been hit by a second day of mass-flight cancellations, two days after the firm's pilots' union asked a court to block a COVID vaccine mandate.

The Dallas-based carrier canceled over 1,000 flights Sunday, equivalent to 27 per cent of its entire schedule for the day.

That came hot on the heels of 808 flights canceled on Saturday. Southwest has blamed a combination of inclement weather and staffing shortages at Jacksonville Air Traffic Control Center in Florida for the disruption.

But social media users have cited a Friday court filing by the airline's pilots union, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, as evidence of a different cause.

That filing sought to block pilots from having to have a COVID-19 vaccine, with Southwest setting an October 4 vaccine requirement.

It is federally-required to vaccinate its employees as a holder of US government contracts.

Southwest nixed more than 1,800 flights during the weekend, leaving passengers stranded

Southwest nixed more than 1,800 flights during the weekend, leaving passengers stranded

But the Southwest pilots' union lawsuit says the rule 'unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021.' 

That suit adds that Southwests' proposed policy is a violation of the Railway Labor Act. 

A spokesman for the pilots union - which represents 9,000 of Southwest's 10,000 pilots - says it was not aware of any industrial action underway.   

Jacksonville Airport staff said the shortages with its staff were not related to vaccine mandates.   

Passengers took to Twitter to speculate over the vaccine lawsuit after rivals axed far fewer flights; American Airlines cancelled 63 flights Sunday, while United cancelled nine trips. 

A passenger and his child were left sleeping on the floor after being stranded in Las Vegas

A passenger and his child were left sleeping on the floor after being stranded in Las Vegas

‘This has nothing to do with weather,’ said one Twitter user. ‘Thanks for ruining our week with our grandkids.

‘At least admit it was due to selfish pilots.’

The Southwest Airline Pilots Association (SWAPA) is trying to block the airline from participating in a federally-mandated vaccine directive that requires employees to be fully inoculated by December 8.

The association, which represents nearly

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