Southwest forecasts a slower recovery in business travel
Southwest Airlines says corporate travel is recovering a bit more slowly than the airline had expected
DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines said Thursday that corporate travel is recovering more slowly than the airline had expected, although that is offset by continuing strong demand from leisure travelers even after the end of the traditional summer vacation season.
Southwest said revenue from “managed” business travel in the quarter ending Sept. 30 will be down 26% to 28% from 2019 levels. That’s a retreat from Southwest’s earlier forecast of a 17% to 21% decline, which the airline attributed to “softer” last-minute business-travel bookings since late July.
The Dallas-based airline said, however, that business travel has picked up after Labor Day -- as it usually does -- echoing similar comments by Delta Air Lines on Wednesday.
Southwest caters mostly to leisure travelers but has been making a big push to attract more corporate business, putting it in more direct competition with American, Delta and United.
