Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants' Union Ratifies Boeing 737-800 Tentative Agreement

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Nov 18, 2010, 02:52 ET

DALLAS, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is pleased to announce that its Flight Attendants, represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, voted to ratify a tentative agreement reached with the Company in September to add the Boeing 737-800 to the current collective bargaining agreement. With this positive vote, the Flight Attendants' current contract will also be extended by one year, becoming amendable May 31, 2013, and will include the potential for wage rate increases based on the Company's financial performance. TWU 556 is made up of more than 9,700 Flight Attendants.

"Since we began evaluating the opportunity to introduce the Boeing 737-800 into our fleet, the TWU negotiating committee and Leadership Team quickly grasped the potential benefits along with the added operational complexities associated with this decision," said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "This was an important step in our due diligence process, and we are pleased that our hard working Flight Attendants recognize the long-term benefits of adding this new aircraft to our fleet."

The decision to add the -800 still isn't final. The carrier is still waiting for a ratification vote with its Pilots' Union, SWAPA, and is continuing to evaluate network and configuration options. Any details regarding firm orders with Boeing, timing, and quantity of deliveries are still to be determined. If the Company pursues the -800, a joint committee would meet to work on the logistical details related to scheduling and bidding procedures that adding a fourth Flight Attendant will require.

After nearly 40 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, now serving 69 cities in 35 states. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report^TM. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,100 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines