Illinois News: Airline Layoffs and Tornado Warnings
- Southwest Airlines will lay off 107 employees in Illinois following the company's decision to discontinue service at Chicago's O’Hare International Airport.
- The airline announced plans to end its operations at O’Hare in March, with service officially concluding on June 4.
- Despite the exit from O'Hare, Southwest Airlines intends to maintain its presence in the Chicago region.
Southwest Airlines will lay off 107 employees in Illinois following the company’s decision to discontinue service at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The airline announced plans to end its operations at O’Hare in March, with service officially concluding on June 4. The impact on the workforce was detailed in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, commonly referred to as a WARN notice, submitted to the state of Illinois.
Operational Shift to Midway International Airport
Despite the exit from O’Hare, Southwest Airlines intends to maintain its presence in the Chicago region. A company spokesperson stated that the airline will continue to operate from its base at Midway International Airport, which serves as a hub for flights to more than 80 destinations.
Southwest Airlines spokesperson
Southwest has a proud 41-year history at (Midway), and we remain committed to investing in the City of Chicago,
The spokesperson further explained that operating at O’Hare continued to be challenging, expressing confidence that the airline can effectively serve the Chicagoland area from its long-standing base at Midway.
Employee Transition and Opportunities
The 107 workers affected by the closure of O’Hare operations will be given the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere within the company. This includes the possibility of applying for open positions at the Midway International Airport base or other locations throughout the airline’s network.