Southwest to reduce daily flights between Memphis and Atlanta. Here’s why and when it starts

Southwest Airlines is reducing its number of daily nonstop flights between Memphis and Atlanta.

Dan Landson is the public relations consultant at Southwest Airlines. He recently told The Commercial Appeal that under the Dallas-based airline’s new schedule, which takes effect June 4, there will be just one daily nonstop flight between the international airport of Memphis (MEM) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Southwest previously offered up to two flights per day between Memphis and Atlanta.

“We are currently working to reoptimize our Atlanta operations as we adapt to receiving fewer aircraft than expected from Boeing and changes in local travel demand,” Landson said.

Southwest will continue to operate nonstop flights from Memphis to Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Orlando and Tampa.

In addition to the Southwest, Delta also offers nonstop flights between Memphis and Atlanta.

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In a first-quarter 2024 call with investors in April, Southwest announced it would end service at four airports and reduce route frequency at two others. The four airports where Southwest is ending service are: Bellingham International Airport in Bellingham, Washington; Cozumel International Airport in Cozumel, Mexico; George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas; and Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York.

“To improve our financial performance, we have increased our network optimization efforts to address underperforming markets,” Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement during the call. airline’s first quarter 2024 results.

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Jordan said during the earnings conference call that the airline posted a net loss of $231 million in the first three months of 2024, despite record operating revenue of $6.3 billion. A net loss is when a company’s expenses exceed its revenue.

Southwest also plans to fly fewer planes than expected due to Boeing’s delays in delivering new planes. Jordan said the delays present “significant challenges for 2024 and 2025.” For example, it now expects Boeing to deliver about 20 737-8 planes in 2024; the airline previously expected 46 planes.

Ross Reily of the Clarion Ledger contributed to this report

Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at [email protected] or 901-293-1610.

This article was originally published on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Southwest Airlines to reduce flights between Memphis and Atlanta