Southwest Airlines (Dallas) today (July 1) launched an international service by inaugurating service to three Caribbean destinations from three of its US gateway cities. Southwest Airlines’ first international departure, flight WN 1804 from Baltimore/Washington to Oranjestad, Aruba, departed on time at 8:30 am EDT, closely followed by Southwest flight WN 906 to Montego Bay, Jamaica, where its first-ever scheduled international arrival was planned for just after 11 am EDT. A midday flight from Baltimore/Washington to Nassau/Paradise Island also brings Southwest Airlines to The Bahamas.

Customers on the carrier’s inaugural international flights from Baltimore/Washington joined those in two other gateway cities of Atlanta, and Orlando who celebrated alongside Employees with commemorative beach balls, snorkels and masks.

At the Company’s corporate headquarters in Dallas, Employees staffed a command center in the pre-dawn hours to monitor operational performance and new technology systems developed in partnership with Amadeus, a leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Its Altea suite of technology solutions is powering Southwest’s reservations, inventory, and departure control functions for international flying.

Read the analysis by Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8H4 N8633A (msn 36905) with the new Aviation Partners Boeing Split Scimitar Winglets arrives at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

Southwest Airlines: