BBG: Southwest crisis reveals clubby world of airline leaders

Way out of crisis

BLOOMBERG reports:

The operational chaos that engulfed Southwest Airlines Co. over the busy holiday period was a crisis decades in the making.

In the aftermath of a meltdown that led to 16,700 flight cancellations and may cost the airline more than $800 million, blame has fallen on an outmoded crew scheduling system and an unusual point-to-point route network. Southwest was overwhelmed and unable to adapt as a severe storm swept the US.

But behind those specific issues is an insular management team that ...