Southwest to Announce Boston Service

[Matt Molnar]

Southwest Airlines to announce flight service to Boston (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/021909dnbussouthwest.2ce4a79f.html)

09:49 PM CST on Wednesday, February 18, 2009

By TERRY MAXON / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

Southwest Airlines Co. will announce Thursday that it plans to launch service to Boston, completing its slate of New England airports. Southwest previously had started service to Providence, R.I., Manchester, N.H., and Hartford, Conn., but avoided the more crowded, congested Boston Logan International Airport.

"Today, more than ever, it’s imperative that we make wise decisions on how and where we utilize our aircraft – and we know that Boston Logan Airport is a smart choice for Southwest,” Southwest chairman and chief executive Gary Kelly said in a written statement.
These guys are really going balls to the wall this year, launching LGA, MSP and BOS within a few months of each other. Seems quite dangerous to me.

[mmedford]

balls to the wall, now is the perfect time to enter the large markets like NY and BOS. With many carrier's reducing fleet sizes and capacity, WN is taking advantage of it.

[jerslice]

I'm guessing this is bad news for MHT and PVD - this could hit them both hard.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

And it is announced:

Southwest Airlines Announces Intent to Begin Service to Boston Logan International Airport in Fall of 2009
--Carrier Plans Conservative Start-Up to Complement Existing Network
DALLAS, Feb 19, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Southwest Airlines today announced its intent to begin service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in the Fall of 2009. The carrier has not released specific service details, saying only that it will begin with a conservative number of flights that will complement its 64 airport network. Southwest Airlines Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO Gary Kelly shared the news with Southwest Employees at a Company event in Chicago last night. Visit the Southwest Airlines' Blog ( http://www.blogsouthwest.com ) to see and hear footage of that announcement.
Southwest Airlines has been serving the New England area since 1996 with service at Providence's TF Green International Airport and service at Manchester Boston Regional Airport since 1998. The Boston Logan service will complement the carrier's existing service at other New England airports, allowing Customers to take advantage of Southwest flights from more locations.

"Today, more than ever, it's imperative that we make wise decisions on how and where we utilize our aircraft - and we know that Boston Logan Airport is a smart choice for Southwest," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO. "I am confident that Logan will be a great addition to our already strong presence in the New England area. We stand ready to offer this bustling region even more low-fare service and unbeatable Southwest Airlines Customer Service."

"We are thrilled to welcome Southwest Airlines to Boston Logan," said Massport's Director of Aviation Edward C. Freni. "At Logan, we are always thinking of our customers and now they will soon be enjoying Southwest's Signature 'Freedom to Fly Approach' to quality customer service."

"We plan to begin Logan service with a conservative number of flights and a two gate operation," Kelly said.

The Company will release additional details regarding its future Boston Logan International service in the coming months. The Logan service will be made possible by the airline optimizing its current flight schedule and repositioning aircraft. Southwest has not changed its previously announced plan to reduce the Company's available seat miles by approximately four percent in 2009 compared to 2008.

After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to differentiate itself from other airlines--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. At Southwest Airlines, fees don't fly. Customers can check their first two bags for free (size and weight limits apply), there are no change fees, no fees for a window or aisle seat, and, as always, snacks, sodas, and smiles are all complimentary!

Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities (with service to Minneapolis/St. Paul starting March 8, 2009) in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide. Approximately 100 Southwest Employees conduct a four gate operation at Manchester Boston Regional Airport with 27 daily nonstop departures to eight cities. Southwest's operation at Providence's TF Green International Airport includes four gates, more than 100 Employees, and 31 daily nonstop departures to nine destinations.

www.southwest.com (http://www.southwest.com)

This news release contains forward-looking statements related to Southwest's intention to begin service from Boston Logan International Airport and its strategies for implementation of such service. These forward-looking statements are based on Southwest's current intent, beliefs, and expectations and are not guarantees of future results. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, uncertainties surrounding domestic economic conditions and any related impact on Southwest's schedule planning and overall strategic decisions, as well as other factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in Southwest's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

SOURCE
Southwest Airlines

[Alex T]

Southwest going to BOS is only going to improve PVD/MHT.

Before anyone states this is dangerous, WN has added a ton more in a year than 3. However keep in mind of the Bay Area which is doing well for SWA.

WN has been going after the former ATA markets. They are now starting the cities that did well for ATA thru the codeshare. This started with DEN, PHL, SFO, RSW, MSP, and now LGA and BOS.

This covers all the Domestic markets formerly served by ATA, with exception to Hawaii which will be done through a codeshare most likely. Unless WN plans to start up EWR which I don't expect that to happen because of CO's presence at EWR, as well as having LGA and to a much lesser extent, ISP.

WN is going to have a very busy 2009 now with 3 new cities.

Alex

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Does anyone know when WN may announce LGA service details?

[emshighway]

Does anyone know when WN may announce LGA service details?

They are still keeping it a secret even to the Port.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Wow! Aren't they planning to launch LGA service this summer? They're gonna have to release the info pretty soon in order to do that. At least 90 days before.

[T-Bird76]

Does anyone know when WN may announce LGA service details?

They are still keeping it a secret even to the Port.

Its not a secret.... they are going to be serving BWI and MDW, WN has already said that.

[Alex T]

As Tom stated...

Even a.net has reported this but we have heard the rumblings of 4 daily to MDW and 3 to BWI, starting June 28th, 2009, but this isn't publicly released on www.southwest.com (http://www.southwest.com) for bookings. Why this is I have absolutely no idea.

This is of course always subject to change...

Alex

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

I suppose once they are about 90 days out, they will announce this service and open it for booking. Has WN even received approval for LGA service yet?

[jerslice]

Southwest going to BOS is only going to improve PVD/MHT.

I'm not sure that it will.

A) Boston has been cheaper in general lately than either PVD/MHT often are.
B) When I lived in Boston I knew many people who would gladly commute the hour north or the hour south to either MHT/PVD for WN service. Now with WN going into BOS - they may not have to anymore. I know if I was a loyal WN supporter and could either drive an hour each way and park at either of the other two or hop on the subway for 20 minutes - I'll take the subway every time from here on out.
Obviously though much of it depends on where they choose to fly to from BOS - if they offer as extensive a selection of options as they do for MHT/PVD in BOS throughout the day it will likely keep the Boston area base in BOS - if they only offer PHL/BWI/MDW - it will still go either way.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

You make a good point. I think the amount of service that WN offers from BOS will be the deciding factor of whether or not the drive to MHT or PVD is still worthit.

[emshighway]

Does anyone know when WN may announce LGA service details?

They are still keeping it a secret even to the Port.

Its not a secret.... they are going to be serving BWI and MDW, WN has already said that.

Speaking of the actual schedule. Of course they are going to cover their usual hubs but what else?

[emshighway]

I suppose once they are about 90 days out, they will announce this service and open it for booking. Has WN even received approval for LGA service yet?

I've been working on this project; their ticket counter will be between JetBlue and Continental in the Central Terminal Building. Will be using B5 gate.

[Alex T]

Speaking of the actual schedule. Of course they are going to cover their usual hubs but what else?

I would think that's just it, they only have 14 slots, 7 r/ts So that would cover the 4 daily to BWI and 3 to MDW.

Unless they change it for saturdays due to the perimeter thing.

Alex

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

I suppose once they are about 90 days out, they will announce this service and open it for booking. Has WN even received approval for LGA service yet?

I've been working on this project; their ticket counter will be between JetBlue and Continental in the Central Terminal Building. Will be using B5 gate.

With Southwest using B5 in the CTB, that would probably move JetBlue exclusively to A5 at LGA. They have been flipping between A5 and B5 on some days.

[emshighway]

I suppose once they are about 90 days out, they will announce this service and open it for booking. Has WN even received approval for LGA service yet?

I've been working on this project; their ticket counter will be between JetBlue and Continental in the Central Terminal Building. Will be using B5 gate.

With Southwest using B5 in the CTB, that would probably move JetBlue exclusively to A5 at LGA. They have been flipping between A5 and B5 on some days.

Very good, that's the idea.

[LGA777]

Some of the gates on LGA's B concourse are shared by multiple carriers. With Southwests unique boarding set up with the que lines it is I would think very important for them to have their own gate that is not shared with another carrier.

I have not been in B in couple years but from memory some of the gate hold rooms are so small I would think their que lines would take up enough space that their would be no room left for passengers to sit.

Regards

LGA777

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

That's a good point too. B5 has a very small holding area. I think NK has the largest holding area in concourse B. AirTran's is very cluttered with seats and Midwest's is also small.

[emshighway]

A lot of behind the scenes politics going on with ticket counter and gate assignments.

[Alex T]

Some of the gates on LGA's B concourse are shared by multiple carriers. With Southwests unique boarding set up with the que lines it is I would think very important for them to have their own gate that is not shared with another carrier.

I have not been in B in couple years but from memory some of the gate hold rooms are so small I would think their que lines would take up enough space that their would be no room left for passengers to sit.

Regards

LGA777

While important, not impossible, as WN has a CUTE system in LAS and SNA so they do somehow make it work.

Alex