Southwest Airlines Installs 'Really Powerful' Warning Systems For Pilots To Prevent Runway Mistakes

Southwest Airlines (LUV) is reportedly adding a new cockpit alert system from Honeywell International (HON) to help its pilots avoid challenging situations following several near misses in U.S. airports this year.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the system has been added to nearly all of the airline’s 800 aircraft.

The system is similar to the ones found in cars, which alert drivers in precarious situations, such as when someone backs up to another vehicle or a wall.

Honeywell’s technology will reportedly deliver verbal warnings and text alarms if a pilot is about to use the wrong runway, for example, or take off from or land on a taxiway.

“It is a really powerful tool, we believe, to add more barriers to potentially bad outcomes,” Andrew Watterson, Southwest’s chief operating officer, said to the Journal in an interview.

The system will help Southwest avoid a repeat of the March 20 incident, when a Southwest aircraft began taking off from a taxiway at Orlando International Airport, instead of the runway adjacent to it.

According to the report, Southwest finalized adding the Honeywell alerts to its entire Boeing 737 fleet around early 2024 to manage risks.

The Honeywell system will also let pilots know if they need to adjust their speeds during landing.

According to the report, several companies, including Alaska Airlines, use Honeywell’s system, while airplane makers Boeing and Airbus are also developing their alert systems.

After scrapping its flagship policies, Southwest is undergoing a strategic shift, including free checked bags for all customers.

The company intends to generate approximately $1.8 billion through a combination of initiatives.

Southwest stock has risen 11.8% this year.

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