Southwest pilots seek CEO’s ouster, citing ‘misguided focus’

Southwest Airlines pilots called for the replacement of CEO Gary Kelly, saying a nationwide computer outage that grounded the carrier last month capped a list of problems caused by a “misguided focus” on cost control and stock performance. “We can no longer sit idly by and watch poor decision after poor decision deeply affect our customers and Southwest Airlines,” Jon Weaks, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, said Monday. The union, representing about 8,000 pilots, also called for the ouster of COO Mike Van de Ven. The union’s comments are an effort to pressure the airline into meeting pilots’ demands during contract talks, Randy Babbitt, Southwest’s senior VP for labor relations, said by e-mail. Talks between the two have been underway for about four years. “SWAPA leaders should understand that we want to work with them, not against them,” Babbitt said. “As soon as they take a similar approach, we’ll be closer to finalizing a contract for our pilots that rewards them for their service and professionalism.”<br/>