SWAPA approves new deal with Southwest Airlines

I don't have the numbers by base and seat, but Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association has notified us that its members have approved a second tentative agreement by more than 87 percent of those voting.

Considering the first deal got 49.2 percent approval, I wonder what has changed.

Is the second deal materially better than the first? Do the job protections outweigh the smaller financial benefit? Was the issue of lance captains such a big issue that changing that provision made all the difference.

Or was the first vote simply the membership's way of saying they weren't happy and wanted to make sure the union and the airline knew of their unhappiness, with the second vote the real one?

When you have thousands of pilots voting on a deal, there are thousands of decisions and reasons in play.

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