Southwest Airlines (Atlanta) today announced its first-ever scheduled international flights.
Beginningย July 1, 2014, Southwest Airlines will operate daily, nonstop flights between:
Atlantaย andย Aruba, andย Montego Bay
Baltimore/Washingtonย andย Aruba,ย Nassau, and (twice daily)ย Montego Bay
Orlandoย and (Saturday only)ย Aruba, andย Montego Bay
In this first phase of the Company’s international conversion plan, wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways will continue service betweenย Atlantaย andย Nassau, between Chicago Midway andย Montego Bay, as well as flights to/fromย Cancun,ย Los Cabos, andMexico City, Mexico, andย Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. By the end of 2014, the carrier plans to complete the launch of Southwest Airlines service to the remaining four international destinations on the Company’s network route map of 96 destinations in six countries. Both carriers’ full flight schedules are now open for booking throughย August 8, 2014.
The make-ready process for international service has involved nearly all of Southwest’s 45,000 Employees to implement additional technologies, training, and compliance, to obtain operational and regulatory approvals, and to ready the People, planes, and policies unique to Southwest Airlines to serve Customers in new countries.
Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 737-7H4 WL N280WN (msn 32533) in the Sea World “Penquin One” livery arrives at Las Vegas.
Southwest Airlines (Dallas) andย SeaWorld Parks & Entertainmentโขย (SEAS) celebrated 25 years ofย partnershipย today with the unveiling of the airline’s newest specialty aircraft,ย Penguinย Oneโ Boeing 737-7H4 N280WN (msn 32533) co-branded with images of one of SeaWorldยฎ’s iconic animals.
Southwest andย SeaWorldย revealed the aircraft at a ceremony this morning atย Orlando International Airportย (MCO) with real penguins, Southwest andย SeaWorldย Employees, community members, and executives including Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO Gary Kelly andย SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Presidentย and CEO Jim Atchison. The plane, filled with Southwest andย SeaWorldย employees, also made stops in two otherย SeaWorldย cities,ย San Antonioย andย San Diego.
The partnership between the two companies dates back to 1988, which began whenย SeaWorldย opened inย San Antonio. Southwest andย SeaWorldย launched their partnership in a high-flying wayโwith the introduction of a new Boeing 737, Shamuยฎ One!
The featured penguin species on the aircraft is a gentoo, one of the species found atย SeaWorld Orlando’s new Antarctica: Empire of the Penguinโข. The attraction includes a first-of-its-kind family ride that transports guests into the penguins’ icy world.
This morning’s ceremony celebrated the introduction ofย Penguin Oneย in a spirited way as attendees waved black-and-white pom poms, enjoyed black-and-white-themed snacks, and cheered as executives christened the aircraft whileย SeaWorld‘s Pete andย Penny Penguinย looked on.
Penguin Oneย joins 12 other 737s in theย Southwestย fleet that carry a unique paint scheme:ย Shamu One, Shamu Two,ย Arizona One,ย California One,ย Colorado One,ย Florida One,ย Illinois One, Lone Star Oneย (Texas),ย Marylandย One,ย Nevada One, New Mexico One,ย andย Triple Crown Oneย (unveiled in 1997).
From the “Nuts About Southwest” blog (all photos by Southwest Airlines):
We kicked off Penguin Oneโs debut at Orlando International Airport (MCO) with more than 500 local Employees and community leaders, along with Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO Gary Kelly, and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment CEO, Jim Atchison (shown below). Also on hand to meet the newest member of the family were famous SeaWorld mascots Pete and Penny Penguin, Penguin Oneโs real life counterparts (We think we got their approval!).
We had a lot of fun with our โTuxedoโ theme, as attendees waved black and white pom-poms, snacked on black and white themed snacks, and cheered as Kelly, Atchison, Pete and Penny, and the SeaWorld Aviculturists officially christened the aircraft. The celebration may have started in Orlando, but it didnโt end there! A team made up of Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld Employees boarded Penguin One and took the party to two other SeaWorld citiesโSan Antonio and San Diegoโto celebrate with local Employees.
In 1988 when SeaWorldยฎ opened in San Antonio, two great companies in the tourism world launched a new partnership in a high-flying way with the introduction of three co-branded 737 jets; Shamu One, born May 23, 1988; Shamu Two, born May 30, 1990; and Shamu Three, born September 7, 1990. Upon the retirement of Shamu One, we’re excited to welcome Penguin One to our fun fleet of SeaWorld specialty planes!
Penguin One Fun Facts:
Born: June 20, 2013
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Resides in: 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries
Length: 110 feet, 4 inches
Weight: 84,100 lbs.
Parents: Southwest Airlines Employees
Seats: 143
Hobbies include: Flying high, keeping Southwest Airlines’ Customers comfortable, and displaying a strong relationship between Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
The largest penguin on Penguin One is over 26 feet long
Painting Process Facts:
Penguin One is painted in seven different colors
Nine day paint operation (24 hours around the clock) compared to the three day turnaround for our standard paint scheme
35 people over three shifts
100 gallons of paint applied to the fuselage
The Gentoo penguins on Penguin One vary in length from 12 feet to more than 26 feet, about five to ten times the size of the average Gentoo penguin! The aircraft is also covered with a clear coat of paint to protect the design and keep Penguin One looking great for years to come.
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