by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:40 PM ET, Fri February 21, 2025
Southwest Airlines appears to be scaling back its flight offerings from Denver International Airport, which is the carriers’s top hub for daily departures.
A review of data from aviation analytics firm Cirium conducted by The Points Guy (TPG) revealed that Southwest may cut more than 8,000 flights from Denver between now and the end of July.
The flight cuts come at a time when Southwest is seeking to make its investors happier with the airline’s performance.
The air carrier struggled to turn a profit last year and in June investor Elliott Management took a 10 percent stake in the company. Since then Elliott Management has repeatedly called for the current CEO, Robert Jordan, to step down, and also provided the airline with lists of new action plans detailing how Southwest could once more become profitable.
That effort has included a variety of changes and new offerings such as adding extra-legroom premium seating options and revisions to its operations at airports nationwide.
The changes also included laying off 15 percent of its corporate workforce, or about 1,750 employees, in order to trim about $300 million from operating expenses. Those layoffs included eliminating eleven senior leadership positions from vice president and above.
Still, Southwest executives have said the airline is committed to remaining in Denver over the long-term, according to TPG.
Adam Decaire, senior vice president of network planning and network operations control at Southwest said the changes taking place in Denver are part of a broader strategy realignment designed to increase margins.
What’s more, travel demand in Denver is strong for the most part. But specific travel segments are not faring as well as others Decaire said. This includes the corporate travel segment, which has not returned to the level the airline was hoping to achieve.
Southwest will also be reducing its pilots based in Denver by about 155, per TPG. At the same time however, other Southwest bases around the country will grow. This includes Nashville International Airport.
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