Southwest AirlinesAccording to internal memo, the airline offered new attendance incentives on Saturday, which were intended to reduce flight cancellations during peak holidays, and also address staffing concerns.

Southwest has canceled over 2,000 Southwest flights on the weekend of Columbus Day, disrupting its operations that it claimed would have cost it. $75 million. American AirlinesFlight attendants and other crew members are also offered extra pay to holiday shifts by. However, the airline was hit hard last month with large-scale flight cancellations.

Pilots, flight attendants, and others working in operations could be eligible for up to 120,000 Rapid Reward points valued at over $1,400. According to the note, flight attendants may work between November 15 and January 14, but cabin crews working 28 days during that time period can get 60,000 points. Southwest states that each work group has a different number of qualified shifts and days..

According to Southwest’s vice-president of Sonya Lecore, vice-president of inflight operations and vice president of cabin crews (which was also reviewed by CNBC), the no shows or inaccessible flight attendants have increased recently. As a result, sick calls are on the rise. The airline has removed emergency policies which required that flight attendants show a physician’s note to call out sick.

Lacore wrote, “We have an excellent opportunity here to uphold this commitment to them and to you in the middle of what has been difficult times for us all.” We believe that this incentive program will help us move in the right direction.

Additionally, the airline offers triple pay to employees in ground operations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Double pay is available for overtime shifts from Nov. 17-Nov. 30, and Dec. 17-Dec. 17, and then again for those between Jan. 3 and 3, an increase of half-time pay.

To reduce labor costs, airlines had provided staff with early retirement benefits and leave of absent to help them during the pandemic. But they found that this year demand was higher than expected. American Airlines and Southwest are seeing more flight attendants return from their leave. Other airlines are aggressively looking for employees.