The carrier says the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association "has a history of work disruptions." The union says the airline is "scapegoating" its technicians.
Peanuts have long been a part of Southwest's marketing campaigns. The carrier says it is ditching the snack to protect passengers with peanut allergies.
On April 17, an engine that exploded caused the death of one passenger and injured others. A survivor has filed a lawsuit against the carrier, alleging she now suffers from PTSD and other conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration says CFM engines, which power many Boeing 737s, need to be ultrasonically inspected after a certain number of takeoffs and landings.
"We have a part of the aircraft missing, so we're going to need to slow down a bit," the pilot told air traffic controllers as she prepared to land with nearly 150 people onboard.
At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on airline customer service, representatives expressed their personal frustrations with the vagaries of flying on U.S. airlines.
All three of the biggest U.S. airlines now offer no-frills, discounted fares called "basic economy." Now there's evidence that it's not any cheaper, but is a way to raise standard economy fares.
Mergers have left the airline industry with four huge carriers: American, United, Delta and Southwest. But competition may be around the corner — from foreign carriers or young entrepreneurs.