03/29/2026
Hi,
I want to thank everyone that was able to make it to the membership meeting in Houston. I did give a base report so for those of you that missed it I’ll include it here. I know this is a lot of information. I’m planning on creating videos for my updates soon so they are easier to follow.
𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
It feels like our airport has been under construction forever, but the end is finally in sight, and it’s actually ahead of schedule. Right now, everything is projected to be completed by November of this year.
For those of you who go through baggage claim to get to the parking garage, you’ve probably noticed some changes. Parts of that area are walled off while they work on a new baggage system and add more carousel space. It’s all part of the bigger plan to improve how bags move through the airport.
This project also includes adding seven new gates, gates 6 to 12.
You may have also seen the canopy going up that will connect the terminal to the parking garages. It’s starting to take shape, but still very much a work in progress. Once it’s done, it’ll be an illuminated covered walkway between the terminal and the garages.
For now, just expect to keep seeing construction and some blocked-off areas, especially in baggage claim and the rooftop parking lot, while they finish everything up.
𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about parking lately, especially with people assuming that the move to Austin would open up more spots here in Houston. But there is no waiting list for covered parking, and the number of covered spots hasn’t really changed.
Most of our Austin commuters selected their paid parking at their home airport, not in Houston, so it didn’t create any additional availability here.
For some background, before the current setup, most reasonable parking near the airport was through third-party lots. If you parked in the airport garages, it was usually around $14–$15 a day. Eventually, the City offered monthly parking on the rooftop of the Red Garage for pilots, flight attendants, and managers, $75 for uncovered and $100 for covered. I hope I’m remembering those numbers well.
When Southwest later began covering parking costs, Houston kept that same structure. Those who already had covered parking were grandfathered in, and everyone else remained in uncovered spots. Neither group pays out of pocket now, but the structure itself didn’t change.
As new transfers come in, they’ve been placed into uncovered parking. Because Houston is a senior base with low attrition, covered spots rarely open up, and realistically, that’s not expected to change anytime soon. The only real way more covered parking becomes available is if the City adds more spaces.
I know some people ask about making all parking equal across the board, but that would require agreement across all three workgroups, and that’s a much bigger lift.
One more thing I want to flag based on a recent update from the base, parking enforcement has been active. If you park in the wrong area (for example, the wrong floor), your parking tag can be locked until a fee is paid.
If you ever have an issue with the gate and need to pull a ticket, call the base first before parking somewhere else. It’s much easier for them to fix it in the moment than to try to refund it later.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
I understand there’s been some concern that Houston can feel a bit more challenging than other bases. The goal, of course, is that someone taking RT in HOU has the same experience as someone taking it at any other base. From my conversations with management and SWA U leaders, things do appear to be more consistent now.
While there are some new commands and added procedures this year, I haven’t really seen those be the issue. Most of the challenges I’ve seen have come down to not assessing outside conditions or incorrect hand placement.
There is a workshop on April 20th if you’d like some hands-on practice before your class. I’ve also put together some resources you can review and I’m happy to send those over if you’d like.
I also want to remind you that you have the right to request union representation if you’re asked to return on a different day to reattempt a proficiency. Feel free to give me a call and we can go over what happened and make sure you feel ready going into it. And I’ll be there on that day to provide support.
𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞
Here are the top discipline trends from the past month:
Class 2.10 and 2.13 – Unprofessional Behavior
Class 2.5 – Failure to Follow Established Inflight Onboard Sales Procedures
Class 1.2 – Dishonesty
A few weeks ago, our Education Committee sent an email focused on Class 1.17. While this was not a trending discipline case in Houston during this period, the Fast Fact Friday document will explain what each class means. It reviews the class violations, the schedule of discipline, and where to find that information.
Our focus is ensuring that these work rules are not in violation of our contract and are applied correctly and if the discipline is unjust, that it be challenged through the appropriate channels.
𝐓𝐒𝐀
The shutdown is still ongoing, and I just want to say thank you to everyone for being patient and understanding with the TSA agents at HOU. They’re showing up every day and doing their jobs under a lot of stress, and it really does make a difference when we treat them with kindness.
Last year, we really came together for them. There were hundreds of donations, dry goods, pantry items, and HEB even stepped in with turkeys. The Houston Food Bank also provided fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. It was honestly really nice to see.
And they’re still being supported now. The Houston Food Bank has been providing meals to the TSA officers while on duty. Another non-profit, Wings of Compassion, has been helping with things like fuel assistance.
Thanks again for everything you all do out there. If you have any questions or need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Edward Marq
214-640-4310
[email protected]
