IATA Schedule Data Exchange Program enrolment for Southwest.

With Southwest carriers’ entry into IATA’s Schedule Data Exchange Program (SDEP), there are now 190 participating carriers.

In order to provide a schedule and minimum connecting time exceptions database that is exclusively held by airlines, the SDEP was introduced in late 2023. Numerous facets of an airline’s operations, such as network design, slot coordination, and interline agreements, are supported by schedule data. By the end of 2026, data coverage is predicted to reach 90% worldwide, surpassing 70% of available seat kilometres (ASKs) of airlines located in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

“IATA’s SDEP seeks to increase data security and dependability while granting airlines ownership and control over the industry’s collective schedule data.” According to Frederic Leger, IATA Senior Vice President Products & Services, Southwest’s participation in the SDEP is a major step toward enhancing the database’s overall usefulness and a clear indication to other airlines that they ought to join the program.

Contributing airlines oversee the SDEP in accordance with stringent data release guidelines, competition and antitrust legislation, and best practices for data security and privacy.

Daniel Jones, VP of Network Planning at Southwest Airlines stated, “As an industry data set, airlines heavily rely on schedule data in their business planning. We are happy to be active participants in this initiative since it makes sense that this data be maintained and shared with all participants.”