Southwest Airlines 2015 Annual Report Download - page 23

• substitution of Pilot flight bags with lighter Electronic Flight Bag tablets; and
• implementation of Real Time Descent Winds (automatic uplinking of up-to-date wind data to
the aircraft allowing crews to time the descent to minimize thrust inputs).
The Company has also participated in Required Navigation Performance (“RNP”) operations as part of
the FAA’s Performance Based Navigation program, which is intended to modernize the U.S. Air
Traffic Control System by addressing limitations on air transportation capacity and making more
efficient use of airspace. RNP combines the capabilities of advanced aircraft avionics, Global
Positioning System (“GPS”) satellite navigation (instead of less precise ground-based navigation), and
new flight procedures to (i) enable aircraft to carry navigation capabilities rather than relying on
airports; (ii) improve operational capabilities by opening up many new and more direct airport
approach paths to produce more efficient flight patterns; and (iii) conserve fuel, improve safety, and
reduce carbon emissions. By the end of 2015, Southwest had conducted over 23,000 RNP approaches,
including approximately 5,000 in 2015. Southwest must rely on RNP approaches published by the
FAA, and the rate of introduction of RNP approaches continues to be slower than expected, with fuel
efficient RNP approaches currently available at only 46 of Southwest’s airports. In addition, even at
airports with approved RNP approaches, the clearance required from air traffic controllers to perform
RNP approaches is sometimes not granted. Southwest continues to work with the FAA to develop
more RNP approaches and to modify air traffic control rules to support greater utilization of RNP.
As part of its commitment to corporate sustainability, the Company has published the Southwest One
ReportTM describing the Company’s sustainability strategies, which include these and other efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address other environmental matters such as energy and water
conservation, waste minimization, and recycling.
International Regulation
All international air service is subject to certain U.S. federal requirements and approvals, as well as the
regulatory requirements of the appropriate authorities of the foreign countries involved. The Company
has obtained the necessary economic authority from the DOT, as well as approvals required by the
FAA and applicable foreign government entities, to conduct operations, under certain circumstances, to
points outside of the continental United States currently served by the Company. Certain international
authorities and approvals held by the Company are subject to periodic renewal requirements. The
Company requests extensions of such authorities and approvals when and as appropriate. To the extent
the Company seeks to serve additional foreign destinations in the future, or to renew its authority to
serve certain routes, it may be required to obtain necessary authority from the DOT and/or approvals
from the FAA, as well as any applicable foreign government entity.
Certain international route authorities are governed by bilateral air transportation agreements between
the United States and foreign countries. Changes in U.S. or foreign government aviation policies could
result in the alteration or termination of such agreements, diminish the value of the Company’s existing
international authorities, present barriers to renewing existing or securing new authorities, or otherwise
affect the Company’s international operations. Bilateral agreements between the United States and
foreign countries the Company currently serves, or may serve in the future, may be subject to
renegotiation from time to time. While the U.S. government has negotiated “open skies” agreements
with many countries, which allow for unrestricted access between the United States and respective
foreign destinations, agreements with other countries may restrict the Company’s entry and/or growth
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