Southwest Airlines on Monday announced buyouts to reduce staffing at some locations, but the buyouts aren't offered in Houston.

The offers will be extended to customer service, ramp and operations agents, as well as cargo employees and supervisors.

Southwest Airlines will offer options for “voluntary separation” and extended leaves of absence to airport staff in 18 cities across the US.

Southwest Airlines Co. expects the strike by Boeing Co. workers and a lengthy push to boost production to once again limit the number of aircraft it receives next year.

The embattled carrier will lay off airport workers in several locations as it cuts flights due to a shortage for Boeing 737 aircraft.

Southwest officials have said that the Dallas-based airline plans to end this year with 2,000 fewer workers than it started. That is after Southwest grew from 66,600 to nearly 75,000 employees last year.

Southwest Airlines is offering buyouts and extended leaves of absence to airport workers to avoid “overstaffing” which it blames on Boeing.

SAN ANTONIO - Southwest airlines is offering some of its workers buy-outs due to "over-staffing."The offer of "voluntary separation" applies to 18 airports.RELA

The slow delivery of planes from Boeing is forcing Southwest Airlines to offer buyouts to some of its employees.