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Southwest Airlines dangles employee incentives for holiday duty
Southwest Airlines will offer new perks to its employees during the holiday season, in a bid to avoid another operational meltdown.
Employees, including flight attendants and pilots, working shifts between November 15 and January 14 can claim up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards Points from its frequent flyer program.
The number of qualifying shifts varies by different work groups and holiday schedules.
It ranges from 36 to 40 days, and the extra Rapid Rewards points add up to $700 to $1,600 in travel benefits, it says.
Southwest canceled more than 2,000 flights in October due of severe labor shortages.
The airline was down by 7,000 employees compared to 2019 levels, CNN reported.
Southwest unions have blamed mismanagement for crew scheduling problems leading to overwork for crews and ground staff.
American has also offered incentives, with triple pay for flight duty during peak holiday times
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