There's a growing volume of online chatter about the next big airline merger that's likely to be proposed, and much of it involves Southwest Airlines.

Those losing their jobs are reportedly in the airline’s corporate offices, including some 11 senior positions with titles of vice president or higher, according to reports.

Southwest Airlines , the fourth-largest airline in the U.S., is on a strict road to recovery after facing significant reputational and financial headwinds over the last few years.

Southwest Airlines plans to cut 1,750 jobs or 15 percent of its corporate workforce, in the US carrier's first company-wide layoffs in its 54-year history. The Dallas-based airline said Monday that the job cuts would be focused almost entirely on “corporate overhead and leadership positions,