Tag Archives: 27848

Southwest moves to protect its Dallas Love Field home with 12 proposed new routes if it gets two new gates

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) plans to add 20 flights to 12 new nonstop destinations if the airline is able to acquire two additional gates at Dallas Love Field. Southwest would add nonstop service to:

Charlotte, North Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Detroit, Michigan
Indianapolis, Indiana
Memphis, Tennessee
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Newark, New Jersey
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
Sacramento, California
San Francisco, California
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington

These 12 new nonstop destinations would be added to Southwest’s schedule if the airline is able to obtain the rights to two Love Field gates that American Airlines must relinquish under the terms of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. These destinations would be in addition to the 15 cities that Southwest previously announced it would serve from Love Field beginning later this year, and five new nonstop destinations currently planned for service in 2015 that Southwest has announced:

Boston, Massachusetts (Boston Logan)
Oakland, California
Panama City Beach, Florida
Portland, Oregon
San Jose, California

With the upcoming sunset of the Wright Amendment restrictions on long-haul flights from Love Field, demand for Southwest nonstop service from the airport far exceeds the Company’s current gate capacity. Access to two additional gates would allow Southwest to provide North Texas residents and visitors with the benefits of new nonstop flights to 12 additional destinations that would not otherwise be possible – a BIG win for consumers, businesses and the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a single aviation market that is served by two airports, DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field. In total, these airports have 175 gates (155 at DFW and 20 at Love Field). If Southwest were to acquire the two additional Love Field gates, its percentage of gates in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market would remain very small, around 10 percent. Importantly, other carriers, such as Virgin America and Delta Air Lines, already have a presence at DFW International Airport and can easily expand at DFW’s ample gate facilities. In contrast, Southwest’s growth in North Texas can occur only at Love Field under the terms of the five-party agreement that resulted in the end of the Wright Amendment.

Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-7H4 N714CB (msn 27848) is retained in the gold “Southwest Classic” classic livery. It is pictured arriving at Las Vegas.

Southwest Airlines:

Southwest acquires six New York LaGuardia slot pairs, will drop three cities

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has acquired 12 takeoff and landing slots (for six roundtrip flights) at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) being divested by American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) as part of its merger with US Airways (Phoenix). In addition, Southwest gained permanent control of 10 takeoff and landing slots (for five roundtrip flights) that it currently operates under a lease from American. Details of the transactions are confidential. Southwest plans to begin its new service at LGA in May 2014. Details of the new service will be available later this month.

Southwest and its subsidiary AirTran Airways currently operate 27 daily roundtrip flights to and from LGA to eight nonstop destinations. The acquired slots will allow the airlines to add six daily roundtrips.

Southwest currently serves Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia Airport, and Long Island MacArthur Airport. These six additional roundtrips at LGA will strengthen Southwest’s service to and from the New York City area.

In other news, Southwest Airlines announced its decision to close three cities in the airline’s network. On June 7, 2014, Southwest will cease operations at Branson Airport (BKG), Key West International Airport (EYW), and Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). Southwest began service to Jackson-Evers International in 1997. The airline added Branson Airport and Key West International Airport to its route map in 2012 as part of its integration with AirTran, a wholly-owned subsidiary.

“Unfortunately, the level of local demand no longer allows Southwest to profitably serve these markets,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. “Southwest takes pride in becoming not only a great choice for air travel in the cities we serve, but we also become a member of the community. These decisions are never easy.”

Over the next six months, Southwest will operate its full schedule at each of these cities, and there will be no disruption to reservations for travel through June 6, 2014.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Southwest Airlines retains one Boeing 737-700 in a gold “Southwest Classic” version of the original 1971 color scheme. Boeing 737-7H4 N714CB (msn 27848) taxies at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Southwest Airlines:

Southwest reports a second quarter net profit of $228 million

Southwest Airlines Company (Dallas) today reported its second quarter 2012 results. Second quarter 2012 net income was $228 million, or $.30 per diluted share, which included $45 million (net) of unfavorable special items. This compared to net income of $161 million, or $.21 per diluted share, in second quarter 2011, which included favorable special items totaling $40 million (net). Excluding special items, second quarter 2012 net income was a record $273 million, or $.36 per diluted share, compared to $121 million, or $.15 per diluted share, in second quarter 2011. This compared favorably to Thomson’s First Call mean estimate of $.33 per diluted share. Operating income for second quarter 2012 was $460 million, compared to $207 million in second quarter 2011. Excluding special items, operating income was a record $485 million for second quarter 2012, compared to $276 million for the same period last year.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines:

Southwest Airlines to start operations from Panama City, FL on May 23, 2010

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N714CB (msn 27848) (gold) BWI, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has announced its schedules and fares from the new Northwest Florida International Airport near Panama City, FL. The new airport is set to open on May 23, 2010. WN will fly to Baltimore/Washington, Houston (Hobby), Nashville and Orlando. In addition the company has announced its summer 2010 schedules which will see a net gain of 41 roundtrips systemwide.

Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Southwest-Airlines-Opens-May-prnews-3778814252.html?x=0&.v=1