Carrier Plans Modest Start-Up with Flights to Chicago Midway in March 2009
DALLAS, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines today
announced its intent to begin service from Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Airport (MSP) in March 2009. The carrier has not released specific service
details, saying only that it will begin a modest operation at MSP with flights
to Chicago Midway only.
"Minneapolis-St. Paul's geographic location complements the vast Southwest
Airlines network really well," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman of the
Board, President, and CEO. "We have studied and been interested in serving
this very popular market for quite some time, and we look forward to bringing
our low fares and legendary Customer Service to the people of Minnesota.
"Presently, we intend to grow our 2009 fleet by no more than ten Boeing
737-700 aircraft. We recently deferred four aircraft scheduled for delivery
from Boeing in 2009 to 2016. While it is very likely we will not grow our
available seat miles in 2009, our new schedule optimization tools allow us to
better manage our fleet and adjust our flight schedule to take advantage of
great opportunities such as Minneapolis-St. Paul," Kelly said.
The Company plans to release more details of its future service to
Minneapolis-St. Paul in the coming months.
"One of the most frequent questions I have been asked over the years is,
'When is Southwest Airlines coming to Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Airport?' Today, I can finally give people the answer we have been working
toward: 'Very, very soon.' I am confident Southwest will receive overwhelming
community support for its new service to the Twin Cities," said Executive
Director of Metropolitan Airport Commission Jeff Hamiel. "The Metropolitan
Airports Commission stands ready to assist the airline in establishing and
growing service to Minnesota."
To view a blog post on this news, visit:
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/youre-gonna-make-it-after-all.
To visit Southwest's web site, visit:
http://www.southwest.com/?src=PRPRPRNGENR000000080808.
After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading
low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines -- offering a
reliable product with exemplary Customer Service with no hidden fees.
Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers
Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats
and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved
its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of
domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based
in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has
more than 34,000 Employees systemwide.
http://www.southwest.com
SOURCE
Southwest Airlines
