Southwest Airlines Launches Montego Bay Nonstop

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines (WN) has launched a new nonstop flight from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, as confirmed by the Caribbean Journal.

This weekly service aims to contribute to Jamaica's anticipated successful autumn tourism season, which has already seen record-breaking arrivals in 2023. The flight departs Kansas City at 11:30 AM, arriving in Montego Bay at 3:35 PM, with the return flight leaving Jamaica at 12:05 PM and arriving in Kansas City at 4:25 PM. Additionally, WN has introduced a new weekly service between Kansas City and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas expressed pride in collaborating with the carrier to expand both domestic and international services, with expectations for more exciting flight announcements in the future. WN's Caribbean expansion in Kansas City also includes enhanced service to Cancun, Mexico, with daily flights operating during the high season.

Jamaica's tourism industry continues to flourish, with just under 700,000 stayover visitors in the third quarter, marking its 10th consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth.

Southwest Pilot Contract Negotiations

The airline is currently engaged in intense contract negotiations with its pilots, according to the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which represents over 9,000 pilots. The discussions have been ongoing for a while, with the aim of finalizing a new contract agreement and improving the strained relations between the airline and its pilots.

What makes this situation particularly noteworthy is that WN is the only major airline that has not yet reached a pilot contract agreement. In contrast, other major carriers like Delta Air Lines (DL), United Airlines (UA), and American Airlines (AA) have already successfully negotiated contracts with their pilot unions. This puts additional pressure on Southwest to resolve the matter promptly.

To facilitate the negotiations, the National Mediation Board has been involved in the mediation process, and meetings have been scheduled to continue until November 30, according to airlinegeeks.com. While this date is not an absolute deadline, it signifies a sense of urgency and dedication from both sides to come to a mutual agreement.

Featured image: Southwest Airlines, N463WN, Boeing 737-7H4. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

https://airwaysmag.com/southwest-nashville-crew-base/