How Southwest’s Scaling Back of Cleaning Protocols Affects Air Travel


Southwest Airlines recently scaled back its COVID-19-related cleaning protocols, reducing the amount of between-flight cleaning that takes place in an effort to cut back on time planes spend on the ground.

Upgraded Points travel industry analyst James Larounis, Pilota CEO Saniya Shah and Linear Air Taxi Founder and Line Pilot Bill Herp gave their thoughts on this move, which saw the airline become the first major industry player to undergo such a rollback.

The trio of industry thought leaders tackled:

  • The impact Southwest’s decision could have on the entirety of the airline industry and on consumer confidence
  • Which COVID-19 measures have hit airlines the hardest
  • How airlines are balancing safety and cost-cutting measures
  • How airlines might return to pre-pandemic levels of growth

Larounis said the move largely stems from an established position as a leader in cleaning and social distancing efforts, with Southwest banking on the reputation during this period of scaling back to tighten up connections and cut costs.

“The ultimate question, here, is going to be will an airline like Delta, for example, that is blocking middle seats … ultimately get more revenue than an airline like Southwest,” he said. “You can’t really have you cake and eat it, too.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Baker Tilly
Baker Tilly Bridges Cultures and Markets to Power U.S.–China Business Growth
November 14, 2025

Baker Tilly’s U.S.–based China practice supports Chinese enterprises operating in the United States as well as U.S. companies with Chinese-heritage leadership. Team members such as Beverly Bian, Terry Dickens, and Lucy Ni work with clients ranging from early-stage ventures to major multinational organizations navigating cross-border growth. The practice distinguishes itself through its bilingual capabilities…

Read More
construction
Empowering Excellence: How Rick Ward Elevates Southwest Construction Services
November 13, 2025

In an industry where timelines tighten and jobsite complexities grow by the day, quality assurance has become one of construction’s most defining—and differentiating—disciplines. At its core, QA isn’t just about correcting mistakes; it’s about building systems and people capable of preventing them in the first place. This is especially true in specialized sectors…

Read More
training
Empowering Teams Through a Modern Training Culture
November 13, 2025

Training may be the backbone of any skilled trade, but in waterproofing—where mistakes can compromise entire structures—it becomes a defining competitive advantage. At Southwest Construction Services, the evolution of training reflects a larger industry shift: seasoned crews now rely less on formal classroom sessions and more on hyper-focused, on-site guidance tailored to the…

Read More
quality assurance
Ensuring Excellence: How Quality Assurance Shapes Every Successful Project
November 13, 2025

In an era of rising climate volatility and tighter construction tolerances, waterproofing has quietly become one of the most consequential guardians of a building’s long-term health. Too often, the industry treats it as an afterthought—something buried behind walls, beneath slabs, or under layers of finish—but the truth is that its success or failure can…

Read More