WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines would need different aircraft if it were to launch flights to Europe, CEO Bob Jordan told a Washington D.C. gathering of aerospace executives on Tuesday.

Southwest, which operates mostly domestic flights with a fleet of Boeing 737 jets, has been struggling to find its footing after the COVID pandemic. Its lackluster earnings have fueled pressure to revamp its business model.    It has begun charging customers for checked bags, ending a free policy. It has also rolled out a new basic-economy fare.  

(Doyinsola Oladipo and Allison Lampert in Washington DC and Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago; Editing by Chris Reese)