Southwest Airlines Cutting Jobs at BWI And Three Other Airports

Southwest Airlines At San Diego International Airport — Source: Kevin Carter / Getty

Southwest Airlines is trimming its workforce, cutting around 120 jobs at four airports including Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The airline confirmed the layoffs Wednesday evening, citing overstaffing issues.

A memo sent to BWI employees on March 19 explained that staffing levels have been higher than needed based on flight activity. The cuts will mainly impact ground operations crews, though Southwest hasn’t said exactly how many positions at BWI will be affected.

Despite the reductions, Southwest says it’s trying to minimize the impact, giving affected employees the option to transfer to other positions or leave with a severance package. The layoffs aren’t tied to performance, and the airline insists service at BWI won’t be disrupted.

Along with BWI, the job cuts will hit Los Angeles International Airport, San José Mineta International Airport, and Hollywood Burbank Airport. Southwest, which makes up about 70% of BWI’s air traffic, says it simply can’t afford to stay overstaffed at these locations, especially since growth at these airports has been slow since 2020.

The airline recently reported a $465 million net income for 2024, with record revenues of $27.5 billion. However, these job cuts come on the heels of Southwest making other big changes including adjustments to its “Bags Fly Free” policy and nearly 1,800 corporate job cuts. Last year, the airline also announced plans to phase out its open seating model.

Meanwhile, competitor Frontier Airlines wasted no time taking a jab. On Tuesday, it launched a promotion calling itself customers’ “new love,” referencing Southwest’s longtime branding as the “love airline.” With the promo code “FREEBAG,” Frontier is offering free checked baggage for flights booked by March 24, covering travel between May 28 and August 18.

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