Tag Archives: HOU

Southwest files to serve six international destinations from Houston Hobby Airport

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) filed applications today (December 11) with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting approval to serve six destinations in Latin America with new, daily, nonstop service from William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. After receiving U.S. government approval of the new service, Southwest will begin selling these flights at Southwest.com, offering Customers nonstop options between Houston (Hobby) and four destinations in Mexico—Cancun, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos—as well as flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, and Belize City, Belize. Service to Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City, Belize, adds a second destination in Central America, a seventh country, and the 96th city on the Southwest route map.

The new Houston flights will be made possible by the completion of an estimated $156 million five-gate international concourse now under construction at Hobby. The completed project will increase capacity for all airport functions and add a Federal Inspections Services (FIS) facility to streamline U.S. Customs and Border Protection screening and baggage processing for arriving international passengers.

Image: Houston Hobby Airport. A concept drawing of the new international concourse.

The Houston Hobby International Terminal Project will add five new gates, enabling scheduled international service from Hobby. Southwest is working in conjunction with the City of Houston, which is preparing for the new facility with surrounding infrastructure improvements including a new parking facility, central utility plant and roadway improvements throughout the Houston Hobby Airport district. A study conducted by Houston Airport System estimates the Houston Hobby International Terminal Project would add 10,000 jobs to the region and provide a $1.6 billion impact annually to the local economy. The study also expects the expanded facility to bring an additional 1.6 million air travelers each year.

Southwest is currently selling nonstop service on Saturdays between Houston (Hobby) and Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba beginning on March 7, 2015. The Aruba flights are made possible by U.S. CBP Pre-clearance procedures, which provide U.S. border inspection in certain foreign countries including Aruba. This will allow Southwest Customers arriving at Hobby Airport from Aruba to deplane without further CBP inspections into the domestic terminal, quickly claim baggage and depart the airport, or make seamless connections to many of the more than 40 domestic destinations Southwest currently serves nonstop from Houston (Hobby).

One of Southwest Airlines’ original cities, Houston supports the fifth busiest operation in the carrier’s network of more than 90 airports across six countries, with approximately 150 departures a day from Houston (Hobby). More than 3,200 Southwest Employees are Houston-based and foster community and business partnerships across greater Houston that, in 2013 alone, bolstered nearly 170 nonprofit organizations with more than $900,000 in local charitable donations.

Top Copyright Photo: Brandon Farris/AirlinersGallery.com. Brand new Boeing 737-8H4 WL N8654B (msn 37045) lands at Boeing Field in Seattle. Delivery is imminent.

Southwest aircraft slide show:

Southwest Airlines to launch its first international route from Houston Hobby to Aruba on March 7, 2015

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) will launch its first international route from Houston’s Hobby Airport (HOU) on March 7, 2015 with a weekly flight to Aruba per Airline Route.

Southwest Airlines:

Delta to restore Atlanta-Ottawa flights on December 20

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will restore Delta Connection service between its Atlanta hub and Ottawa, Canada on December 20, 2014. During the Christmas-New Year holiday period it will operate daily with Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft and then to weekly flights according to Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Fernandez Imaging/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier CRJ900 (CL-600-2D24) N176PQ (msn 15176) lands at Houston (Hobby).

Delta Air Lines (current):

Delta Connection-Pinnacle Air/Endeavor Air:

Southwest Airlines breaks ground on a new international terminal at Houston’s Hobby Airport

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) today (September 30) broke ground on a new international terminal at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), marking the official start of construction on the $156 million project.

Once completed, the five-gate facility will accommodate regional international flights for Southwest Airlines, with service reaching destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the northern cities of South America.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker, as well as local and state dignitaries, joined Southwest Airlines Employees in the brief ceremony before work immediately began.

A 2012 study commissioned by the Houston Airport System indicates that the new terminal will generate more than 10,000 jobs across the Greater Houston metropolitan area and will provide an economic impact of $1.6 billion. The study estimates that the terminal will bring in an additional 1 million passengers a year to Hobby Airport.

The terminal project, fully funded by Southwest Airlines, includes a new five-gate international terminal, expansion of the existing security checkpoint, and upgrades to the Southwest Airlines ticketing counter area.

In support of the project, and in anticipation of the expected increase in passenger traffic, the Houston Airport System will be making significant investments of its own, constructing a new multi-level parking garage and making improvements to the existing roadway system.

Southwest Airlines anticipates its first international flights out of Houston Hobby’s new international terminal will begin in late 2015 to destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the northern cities of South America.

Copyright Photo: Fernandez Imaging/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-7H4 N279WN (msn 32532) with the special “Summer of Love – Cirque du Soleil” emblem taxies at the Houston (Hobby) hub.

Southwest Airlines:

Historic Photo of the Day – May 26, 2013

Continental’s Houston Proud Bird Express (Emerald Air) Douglas DC-9-14 N38641 (msn 47060) HOU (Keith Armes). Image: 912258.

Continental Airlines:

Frameable Color Prints and Posters:

Southwest to revamp its Atlanta schedules to better compete for business traffic against Delta

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) is changing its Atlanta operation in order to better compete against Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) for business customers. The airline, according to this Bloomberg report, will have no more than 20 aircraft on the ground at any time at ATL instead of current 30 (including the shrinking AirTran Airways). This will allow the 175 daily flights to be spread more evenly throughout the day according to the airline. The new strategy and schedule will become effective in November.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines:

AirTran Airways:

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation prepares to exit Chapter 11 with new agreements, will phase out its 140 CRJ200s in the next 2-3 years

Pinnacle Airline Corporation (Pinnacle Airlines) (Memphis) today issued the following statement:

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation announced today that it and its wholly owned subsidiaries have entered into comprehensive agreements that, among other things, provide a path forward for the Company to emerge from bankruptcy with a competitive cost structure and a viable long-term business plan. Under Pinnacle’s new business plan, the Company will transition its fleet to operate a fleet of 81 fuel-efficient, two-class regional jets for Delta Air Lines Inc.

The comprehensive agreements among Pinnacle, Delta, the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (Creditors’ Committee) in Pinnacle’s Chapter 11 cases include:

An amendment to the Company’s existing debtor-in-possession credit facility, to provide Pinnacle with $30 million of additional liquidity to support its continued operation through emergence from Chapter 11 and an additional $22 million to fund certain required payments to Pinnacle’s pilots under a Bridge Agreement and related employer taxes. The amendment would also extend the maturity date for the credit facility from April 1 to May 15, 2013.
Amendments to the existing operating agreements with Delta that form the basis of the new business plan. Pinnacle will receive Delta Connection’s next 40 Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft awarded, setting Pinnacle’s long-term fleet plan at 81 CRJ900 aircraft. The 40 additional CRJ900 aircraft deliveries are planned to begin in the fall of 2013 and are expected to be completed by year-end 2014. Pinnacle’s 140 Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft will be removed from operation over the next two to three years.
A Bridge Agreement that provides transitional payments, furlough benefits and specified career opportunities at Delta to Pinnacle’s pilots in conjunction with the recently negotiated letter of agreement between Pinnacle and ALPA.
A letter of agreement to amend Pinnacle’s collective bargaining agreement with the ALPA pilots. This letter of agreement and the Bridge Agreement are subject to ratification by the ALPA membership by Jan. 15, 2013.
A restructuring support agreement among Pinnacle, Delta and the Creditors’ Committee setting forth certain principal terms for a plan of reorganization to emerge from Chapter 11. The reorganization plan will provide for Delta or an affiliate to acquire the equity in the reorganized Pinnacle Airlines Corp. after it emerges from bankruptcy. Pinnacle must file a plan of reorganization acceptable to Delta and the Creditors’ Committee by February 15, 2013.

Pinnacle filed motions with the Bankruptcy Court seeking approval of the various components of the comprehensive agreements. All of the components of the comprehensive agreements are interdependent and are subject, among other things, to Court approval.

Copyright Photo: Fernandez Imaging. With the CRJ200s being retired, Pinnacle Airlines will concentrate on the larger CRJ900 in the future with its Delta Connection contract. Bombardier CRJ900 (CL-600-2D24) N176PQ (msn 15176) lands at Houston (Hobby).

Delta Connection-Pinnacle Airlines:

Southwest to start Kansas City-Minneapolis/St. Paul service on February 14

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways announced today that they have extended their flight schedules for travel between February 14, 2013, and March 8, 2013. In the schedule, Southwest will begin new service between Kansas City and Minneapolis-St. Paul with two daily nonstop flights. Both carriers also will begin new seasonal routes as listed below.

Southwest’s new market:

Two daily nonstop flights between Kansas City and Minneapolis-St. Paul

Southwest’s new seasonal markets include:

One daily nonstop flight between Albuquerque and Orlando
One daily nonstop flight between Albany and Las Vegas
One daily nonstop flight between Hartford/Springfield and Las Vegas
One daily nonstop flight between Long Island/Islip and Ft. Myers
One daily nonstop flight between West Palm Beach and Pittsburgh
One daily nonstop flight between West Palm Beach and Providence
One daily nonstop flight between Providence and Ft. Myers

AirTran’s new seasonal markets include:

Two daily nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and Ft. Myers
One daily nonstop flight between Detroit and Ft. Myers

Southwest Airlines:

AirTran Airways:

Does Southwest Airlines believe a mechanical delay is an act of God?

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N279WN (msn 32532) (Summer of Love/Cirque du Soleil) HOU (Air 72), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) according to this report in the Arizona Daily Star has recently added “mechanical difficulties” to the list of “acts of God” and other situations in which the airline will not be liable for compensation if the flight is delayed.

According to the newspaper, Southwest Airlines quietly changed its policy a few weeks ago. The change appears on page 11 of 32 pages of the “contract of carriage.”

Read the full report:

CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Air 72. Boeing 737-7H4 N279WN (msn 32532) with the special “Summer of Love” and “Cirque du Soleil” logo on the nose, taxies at the Houston (Hobby) hub.