Southwest WN2390 B737 diverted to Chicago, smoke in cockpit

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N455WN performing flight WN-2390 from Columbus,OH to Denver,CO (USA) with 112 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL380 about 60nm southsouthwest of Chicago Midway,IL (USA) when the crew donned their oxygen masks and reported smoke in the cockpit and diverted the aircraft to Chicago Midway. The airport stopped all departures and arrivals for the inbound emergency. The aircraft landed safely on Midway's runway 22L, vacated the runway and stopped, the crew was still on oxygen masks when they inquired with emergency services whether there was any damage visible from the outside. The crew removed their oxygen masks after emergency crews reported no damage, the aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail.

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N227WN reached Denver with a delay of 2 hours.

The occurrence aircraft resumed service after about 18.5 hours on the ground.

The Aviation Herald

The US DOT finalizes Havana route allocations

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) says it has now finalized its allocation of Havana Int'l, Cuba traffic rights to local US carriers. The announcement came shortly after jetBlue Airways on Wednesday, August 31, became the first US commercial carrier to operate a scheduled service to Cuba in over fifty years.

As per a July 7 tentative decision, the following airlines have been awarded the following Havana routes and frequencies by the DOT:

- Alaska Airlines: a 1x daily Los Angeles Int'l-Havana service using B737-900(ER) equipment;

- American Airlines: a 4x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment and a 1x daily Charlotte-Havana service using A319-100 equipment;

- Delta Air Lines: a 1x daily New York JFK-Havana service using B757-200 equipment, a 1x daily Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson-Havana service using B757-200 equipment, and a 1x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment;

- Frontier Airlines: a 1x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using A320ceo and A320neo equipment;

- jetBlue Airways: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service (except Saturdays) using A320/321 equipment, a 1x daily New York JFK-Havana service using A320/321 equipment, and a 1x daily Orlando Int'l-Havana service using A320/321 equipment;

- Southwest Airlines: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment and a 1x daily Tampa Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment;

- Spirit Airlines: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service using A319 equipment; 

- United Airlines: a 1x daily Newark-Havana service using B737-800 equipment (with one additional Saturday-only flight) and a 1x weekly Houston Intc'l-Havana service (Saturdays only) using B737-800 equipment.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the US and Cuba in February this year, each country may operate up to twenty daily return flights between the US and Havana and up to ten daily return flights between the US and each of Cuba’s nine international airports - Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo Sierra Maestra, Santa Clara de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero - for a total of ninety daily return flights.

ch-aviation.com

Southwest pilots have reached agreement on new contract

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), the union representing the carrier’s 8,400 pilots, have reached an “agreement in principle” on a new contract, according to SWAPA.

The announcement comes nearly a year after Southwest management and SWAPA reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract that was subsequently voted down by rank-and-file Southwest flight deck crew. The agreement in principle calls for a contract that would run through Aug. 31, 2020, with pay increases retroactive to 2013. Negotiations between Southwest and its pilots have been ongoing for more than four years, with the US National Mediation Board (NMB) involved since November 2014.

SWAPA president Jon Weaks said in a statement that “a new contract is certainly not a done deal,” but noted the union had taken the “the next step in the process” by reaching an agreement in principle with Southwest management. “Our negotiators were able to bring back an agreement worthy of review and discussion,” he said, adding, “However, the membership will have the final decision as always.”

SWAPA said the “potential new contract” would allow Southwest to enter into “limited partnerships with other airlines for near-international interline agreements and far-international codeshare, with enforceable restrictions.”

The union said there is “further work on final language” necessary and it plans for its board of directors to meet Sept. 19-22 to review the potential contract. If the SWAPA board decides to move forward and officially make the deal a “tentative agreement,” a 30-day ratification voting process would ensue, with voting by rank-and-file pilots to conclude by early November, according to the union.

Southwest EVP and COO Mike Van de Ven said the agreement in principle had been reached with the assistance of the NMB and that it “balances the needs of our pilots and the company.” The airline said it will “work this week to draft final language.”

ATWOnline

Southwest WN3472 B737 diverted to Pensacola, uncontained engine failure

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N766SW performing flight WN-3472 from New Orleans,LA to Orlando,FL (USA) with 99 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing through FL310 out of New Orleans, about 80nm west of Pensacola,FL (USA) when the front section of the left hand engine (CFM56) separated, debris impacted and punctured the left side of the fuselage causing a loss of cabin pressure. The crew diverted the aircraft to Pensacola for a safe landing on runway 17, the aircraft vacated the runway and taxied to the apron with emergency services following the aircraft. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The airline reported the captain decided to divert the aircraft to Pensacola due to a mechanical issue with the #1 engine. The NTSB has been informed and opened an investigation.

The NTSB reported: "NTSB investigating incident involving a Southwest Airline fight that experienced uncontained engine failure, diverted to Pensacola Int’l." (editorial note: we believe that is just a typo)

The Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association wrote: "A great job today by our professional SouthwestAir pilots! The best safety device is always a well-trained pilot."

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N908WN was dispatched to Pensacola and reached Orlando with a delay of 5 hours.

The Aviation Herald

Έκρηξη σε κινητήρα αεροσκάφους B737 της Southwest που εκτελούσε το δρομολόγιο Νέα Ορλεάνη-Ορλάντο

Ένα αεροσκάφος της Southwest Airlines που πραγματοποιούσε πτήση από τη Νέα Ορλεάνη στο Ορλάντο αναγκάστηκε σε προσγείωση, όταν ένας από τους κινητήρες εξερράγη, καθώς αυτό βρισκόταν στον αέρα.

Σύμφωνα με τις πρώτες πληροφορίες, ένας δυνατός θόρυβος έκρηξης ακούστηκε και οι επιβάτες είδαν με τρόμο από τα παράθυρα τους μέρη του αριστερού κινητήρα να αποκολλιούνται ενώ αμέσως το αεροπλάνο άρχισε να ταλαντεύεται και οι αναπνευστικές μάσκες έπεσαν μπροστά από τα κεφάλια των επιβατών.

Πολλοί από τους επιβάτες άρχισαν να ουρλιάζουν και να κλαίνε, αλλά κανείς από τους 99 επιβάτες και το 5μελες πλήρωμα δεν τραυματίστηκε.

Η πτήση της Southwest, με αριθμό 3472, κατευθύνθηκε προς την πόλη της Πενσακόλα, όπου και προσγειώθηκε, καθώς ο κυβερνήτης έστειλε αμέσως σήμα έκτακτης ανάγκης, όπως δήλωσε η Ομοσπονδιακή Υπηρεσία Πολιτικής Αεροπορίας.

Έρευνα διενεργείται από τις αρμόδιες αρχές για τα αίτια του ατυχήματος, ενώ σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση της Ομοσπονδιακής Υπηρεσίας Πολιτικής Αεροπορίας, το αεροσκάφος ήταν ένα Boeing 737.

iefimerida

Southwest WN3472 B737 diverted to Pensacola - Left engine problem and in flight explosion

Southwest Airlines Flight #WN3472 Boeing 737 from New Orleans to Orlando was forced to make an emergency landing after the heart-stopping high-altitude malfunction this morning.

A woman said she, her husband and their three children were on Flight #WN3472 from New Orleans to Orlando when, while over water, she heard a loud explosion.

“It was just a big explosion. There was some smoke and then nothing,” she said in a phone interview with KOCO 5. “I saw parts flapping in the wind because it was right outside my window.”

The plane started to shake descend rapidly, and oxygen masks fell. People — including the woman’s children — were screaming and crying while she was trying to stay calm as the plane was falling fast, she said.

According to tracking data from FlightAware, the 737-700 was flying around 30,700 feet and climbing before it began descending around 9:23 a.m. CDT.

No injuries reported among 99 passengers and five crew aboard the Southwest flight.

Jeremy Martin via WSJ

Stephanie (‏@smillerddd3/Twitter)

AIRLIVE

Four major U.S airlines fined for giving inaccurate compensation information

Four of the nation’s largest airlines were fined by the Federal Aviation Administration for giving passengers inaccurate information about how much compensation they should get for being kicked off an overbooked flight or having their luggage lost or damaged.

Alaska Airlines was fined $40,000; American Airlines was fined $45,000; Southwest Airlines was fined $40,000; and United Airlines was fined $35,000. All four were ordered to stop such violations.

Under Department of Transportation rules, passengers who are involuntarily bumped off an overbooked domestic flight must be offered an alternative flight that arrives no later than an hour after the original flight.

If the airline puts a bumped passenger on a flight that arrives between one and two hours after the original flight’s scheduled landing, the carrier must compensate the passenger 200% of the cost of the original fare, up to $675.

If the airline puts the bumped traveler on a flight that arrives more than two hours after the original arrival time, the airline must pay 400% of the cost of the ticket, up to $1,350.

Those dollar amounts were increased slightly last year, but DOT investigators said the airlines still were handing out pamphlets to passengers showing lower compensation amounts. In some cases, the airlines couldn’t produce information telling passengers how much they were entitled to collect.

The top payout a carrier must give each passenger whose luggage has been lost or damaged was raised last year to $3,500 from $3,400, but DOT investigators said the carriers were giving passengers notices that said the payout was less than $3,500.

In consent agreement documents provided by the DOT, all four airlines said they take passenger compensation rules seriously but agreed to pay the fines to settle the allegations.

“We are committed to ensuring that air travelers know the rules and have accurate information about compensation when they are bumped from flights and for lost, damaged or delayed baggage,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

Los Angeles Times

Southwest Airlines pilots complained outside of Dallas Love Field for their rights

Hundreds of Southwest Airlines pilots picketed at Dallas Love Field on Wednesday as the pilots have been without a contract since 2012.

The informational picket, organized by the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, occurred as the union continues contract negotiations with the Dallas-based carrier. Pilots stood silently in the ticketing and baggage claim areas at Love Field, holding signs that said “No confidence in SWA management” and “The heart of Southwest is under attack.”

“The pilots of Southwest simply want to remain contractually on par with our fellow professional pilots at other companies,” said Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association president Jon Weaks. “Management actions, however, continue to foster labor discord.”

The two sides entered federal mediation in 2014 and last year, pilots rejected a proposed contract that included pay raises totaling 17.6 percent but created subsets for international and Boeing 737-MAX flying. In May, SWAPA sued Southwest for “unlawful tactics” during contract talks, alleging that Southwest has threatened to operate the new Boeing 737-MAX aircraft even if it does not reach a new contract with its pilots.

The union has held several pickets including one in Chicago at Southwest’s shareholder meeting. At the pickets, the pilots have been joined by flight attendants and mechanics, unions that have also been in lengthy contract talks with the carrier.

“I am proud of our pilots and the leadership they provide,” said Vice President Labor Relations Mike Ryan. “Even with our disagreements, we are partners in this process and need to work through the remaining issues at the negotiating table, rather than in public forums.”

Star-Telegram

Southwest WN933 B733 at Austin, burst tyre on landing - wing damage

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300, registration N392SW performing flight WN-933 from Oakland,CA to Austin,TX (USA), landed on Austin's runway 35L but burst a tyre. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron.

The FAA rated the occurrence an incident and reported a post flight inspection revealed damage to the wing. 

The Aviation Herald

Southwest launches new routes from LA to Mexico

Southwest Airlines announced new service between Los Angeles and Mexico starting December 4, 2016. The airline plans to add twice-daily LAX- Cancun flights, twice-daily LAX- Cabo San Lucas trips, and once-daily LAX- Puerto Vallarta service, and to kick things off, they’ll be offering introductory fares of $129 each-way.

Southwest Airlines today announced new international service between Los Angeles (LAX) and three airports in Mexico’s coastal resort regions:  Cancun (CUN), San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos (SJD), and Puerto Vallarta (PVR). The service is scheduled to begin Dec. 4, subject to approvals of the Mexican government.

Late last month, the carrier received U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approval to fly between OaklandInternational Airport and both Los Cabosand Puerto Vallarta.  Also subject to Mexican governmental approval, this new service in Northern Californiawould begin on Feb. 12, 2017.

Southwest already flies daily between LAX and Liberia/Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and the five new daily flights to and from Mexicowill be flown in addition to the carrier’s international service offered at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.  The carrier continues to plan for available seat mile (ASM) growth in the 5-6 percent range in 2016.

Boarding Area

Southwest B733 flight WN3153 at El Paso, fumes on board

Aug 8, 2016

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300, registration N359SW performing flight WN-3153 from San Antonio,TX to El Paso,TX (USA), was on approach to El Paso when passengers and cabin crew smelled fumes on board, similiar to smell of smoke. The flight crew requested emergency services on stand by for the arrival and continued the approach for a safe landing. Emergency services checked the aircraft after landing but did not find any trace of fire, heat or smoke. A flight attendant was taken to a hospital with symptoms similiar to smoke inhalation but was discharged from hospital after checks.

Cabin crew reported they suspected an equipment cooling fan as source of the fumes.

The airline reported they are still investigating what caused the odour on board.

The Aviation Herald

Southwest and NTSB Investigates 737 nose gear collapsed at Baltimore Airport

Southwest Airlines Co. and U.S. safety regulators are trying to determine what caused a nose gear to collapse on a Boeing Co. 737 as it was being pushed back from an airport gate near Washington.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are joining Southwest’s technical operations team inspecting the jet, according to the agencies. 

The airline was still working to move the aircraft Friday, following the accident the night before at Baltimore/Washington International airport, said Brandy King, a spokeswoman. There was “no indication the aircraft was impacted by another object” before the collapse, she said.

Southwest notified the FAA shortly after the incident, which occurred as the plane was being pushed away from the gate by a tractor-like vehicle known as a tug. The aviation regulator will investigate, the agency said in an e-mail statement. An NTSB investigator also will gather data, a spokesman said.

No injuries were reported among the 126 passengers and five crew members on flight 149 from Baltimore to Atlanta, according to Southwest.

Bloomberg

VIDEO: Southwest flight WN149 nose gear collapsed

 

— Winston Leslie (@winnie_4567) August 5, 2016

Southwest adds new routes from March 2017

Southwest Airlines yesterday (04AUG16) opened reservations for a number of routes, scheduled to commence in March 2017. Effective 09MAR17, the airline will introduce following routes:

Houston Hobby – Omaha 1 daily
WN1427 HOU1700 – 1915OMA 73W x67
WN2046 HOU1710 – 1925OMA 73W 7

WN965 HOU2000 – 2210OMA 73H 6

WN4088 OMA0730 – 0955HOU 73W 6
WN516 OMA1050 – 1315HOU 73C x67
WN3465 OMA1120 – 1345HOU 73H 7

Las Vegas – Minneapolis/St. Paul 1 daily seasonal service
WN1987 LAS0845 – 1350MSP 73W 6
WN5081 LAS1240 – 1745MSP 73W 7
WN701 LAS1415 – 1920MSP 73W x67

WN1216 MSP1030 – 1155LAS 73H x67
WN3117 MSP1050 – 1210LAS 73W 7
WN4803 MSP1555 – 1720LAS 73W 6

Newark – Fort Lauderdale 2 daily
WN3413 EWR0625 – 0925FLL 73W 7
WN1833 EWR0630 – 0930FLL 73W x7
WN200 EWR1255 – 1600FLL 73W x67
WN372 EWR1345 – 1650FLL 73W 6
WN6098 EWR1350 – 1655FLL 73W 7

WN783 FLL0745 – 1040EWR 73H x67
WN153 FLL1010 – 1310EWR 73W 6
WN5905 FLL1055 – 1400EWR 73H 7
WN1688 FLL1420 – 1725EWR 73H x67
WN6527 FLL1500 – 1805EWR 73W 7
WN4853 FLL2055 – 2355EWR 73W 6

Routesonline

Photo News: Southwest 737 gear collapsed at BWI Airport

Photo by Ryan Michaels

Southwest B737 flight WN775 near New Orleans, loss of cabin pressure

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N917WN performing flight WN-775 from Tampa,FL to San Antonio,TX (USA) with 125 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL400 about 170nm southeast of New Orleans,LA (USA) when the crew initiated an emergency descent (average rate of descent 4000fpm) due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft diverted to New Orleans for a safe landing on runway 02 about 35 minutes after leaving FL400.

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N7747C reached San Antonio with a delay of 5 hours.

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 17 hours before resuming service.

The Aviation Herald

Southwest canceled 300 flights on Friday, July 22

Southwest Airlines canceled at least 300 additional flights Friday, July 22, as the airline continued to deal with lingering disruptions following its systemwide technology breakdown Wednesday, July 20. The cancellations were primarily the result of displaced flight crews, Southwest said.

“Our technology systems have been fully restored and we continue to focus on getting customers and their baggage to their destinations safely,” Southwest said in a statement.

“Because this a network problem , it becomes very complicated,” Southwest senior director of network operations control Steve West said in an interview posted on Southwest’s Facebook page July 22. “This is the highest level of disruption that we’ve seen in many years.”

“Today is actually the first day we were in more of a recovery plan. What we’re doing today … is we’re making sure that if we’re doing any schedule adjustment, such as cancellations, that we’re doing it well in advance. … the majority of our cancellations today are in advance,” West said. “What we’re doing is to try and reset the network, and that is a complicated piece that we have to do. It takes … two to three days to totally get there, and each day we’re making progress,” West said.

“We have about 650 lines of flight, so you take the flight attendants and pilots, who aren’t matched up, we have to marry them together, so if they’re out of sequence for some reason, we have to find a way to marry them,” West said. “And once you do that, you disrupt something. So we have to ask the pilots and the flight attendants to do extra flying which they’re doing, thanks to them, and we’re making this airline move.”

Southwest has extended customer rebooking through Tuesday, July 26. Customers have two weeks from their original date of departure to rebook travel at the original fare, at no additional cost, Southwest said.

“Our employees in airports, online, and on the phone are assisting a significant number of customers and hold times are much longer than average. In the midst of peak summertime travel, we recognize many flights through this weekend were already close to full,” Southwest said. “As cancellations continue, we recommend customers who have flexibility explore rebooking on alternate dates beyond Sunday by checking availability [on Southwest’s website].”

Southwest has not announced additional cancellations for Saturday or Sunday, July 23-24.

ATWOnline

Southwest B737 at Baltimore, burst tyre on departure

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N428WN performing flight WN-528 from Baltimore,MD to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) with 143 passengers, departed Baltimore's runway 28 and was climbing out of Baltimore. The next departure about a minute later reported upon contacting departure that they saw rubber debris on and near the end of the runway. The Southwest Boeing 737 stopped their climb at 10,000 feet, burned off fuel for about one hour and returned to Baltimore for a safe landing on runway 28 about 80 minutes after departure. The aircraft came to a stop with both right hand main tyres deflated and torn. The aircraft was towed off the runway.

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N940WN reached Fort Lauderdale with a delay of 4 hours.

The Aviation Herald

Southwest to operate seasonal New York Newark-Puerto Rico flights | ATWOnline

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines will add seasonal, weekly service between New York Newark and San Juan, Puerto Rico starting Dec. 17.

Currently, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines operate the route nonstop. Southwest will operate the route nonstop on Saturdays from Dec. 17 through March 4, 2017.

Southwest will additionally add a seasonal Dallas Love-Reno, Nevada service on Saturdays from Jan. 7, 2017 to March 4, 2017.

The carrier will also offer nonstop service on two city pairs for one weekend only in September to accommodate American football fans. For those attending the Oakland Raiders-New Orleans Saints National Football League game in New Orleans on Sept. 11, Southwest will operate nonstop flights between Oakland, California and New Orleans during the weekend of Sept. 9-Sept. 12. For those attending the Ohio State University-Oklahoma University college football game in Norman, Oklahoma on Sept. 17, Southwest will operate Columbus, Ohio-Oklahoma City nonstop service for the weekend of Sept. 16-Sept. 18.

Southwest to operate seasonal New York Newark-Puerto Rico flights | Airports & Routes content from ATWOnline

Southwest B733 at Oakland on Jul 2nd 2016, engine problem

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300, registration N626SW performing flight WN-1511 from Oakland,CA to Austin,TX (USA), was climbing through 14,000 feet out of Oakland when the crew decided to return to Oakland due to an engine (CFM56) problem. The aircraft landed safely back.

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N203WN reached Austin with a delay of 2 hours.

The airline reported the crew noticed a possible engine problem and returned to Oakland.

Incident: Southwest B733 at Oakland on Jul 2nd 2016, engine problem