Southwest Airlines COO Warns Employees of Upcoming 'Difficult Decisions,' Facing Pressure from Elliot Investment

Southwest Airlines warned employees of upcoming "difficult decisions" to boost profits amid pressure from activist Elliott Investment Management. The airline recently introduced several revenue-boosting measures, including shifting from open seating to assigned seats, offering more legroom for higher fares, and adding red-eye flights. Elliott has pushed for leadership changes at Southwest, criticizing management's efforts to improve profitability. Executive Chairman and former CEO Gary Kelly announced his plan to step down after next year’s shareholder meeting.