Southwest Will Ditch Pneumatic Tubes and Paper Tickets in $800 Million Upgrade
- Reservations, operations get $800 million technology upgrade
- ‘How do I save a minute here, a minute there?’ COO asks
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The pneumatic tubes and paper tickets have got to go.
In its 45 years of flying, Southwest Airlines Co. has been known for its lean operations and vaunted “20-minute turns” -- the time between a jet getting to a terminal and pulling away for the next flight. The airline’s low-cost, no-frills, single-model fleet and mostly direct service meant Southwest didn’t need the tablet-toting mechanics, bag scanners for ramp workers and other technological advances that swept the industry.