Southwest cutting ISP-MDW Flights

[moose135]

From Newsday.com:

Southwest Airlines will cease direct service between Chicago and Islip in June, a blow to Long Island MacArthur Airport's drive for more destinations

Citing low passenger loads, Southwest will eliminate nonstop daily flights to Midway Airport starting June 2, forcing fliers to other airports for direct flights to Chicago. In the past year, the carrier has flown three and four flights daily from MacArthur, depending on the season.

Southwest will remain MacArthur's dominant carrier -- it has flown from the airport since 1999 -- but the move will pare its daily flight total to 20, down from a high of 34 in 2007.Full story: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/southwest-to-ditch-li-chicago-flights-1.3360994

[T-Bird76]

Islip has always been the little airport that couldn't... The airport has been run poorly for decades now and its time the Town sells the airport to an entity that can run it and make it a competitive airport. Currently the town's fees for use are WAY too high. Islip is a similar airport like White Plains and Stewart which has service from major airlines to major hubs. There is no reason why Islip doesn't except for the fact the town's fees make it unprofitable to serve the airport.

[NIKV69]

Islip has always been the little airport that couldn't... The airport has been run poorly for decades now and its time the Town sells the airport to an entity that can run it and make it a competitive airport. Currently the town's fees for use are WAY too high. Islip is a similar airport like White Plains and Stewart which has service from major airlines to major hubs. There is no reason why Islip doesn't except for the fact the town's fees make it unprofitable to serve the airport.

So true, not to mention that route has to be fading for WN. I mean the fares are not much cheaper than flying out of JFK to O'Hare and MDW is in bad area not to mention can be dicey when the bad wx comes. I live right near ISP but If I had to get to The Windy city I'm flying out of JFK. Years ago when WN was destoying everyone in the fare war it made sense now you are prob paying close to the same. Doesn't justify flying on to an aircraft carrier anymore.

[puckstopper55]

do you guys have figures for airport fees? I always assumed that the fees were "on par" with other smaller airports, but we (long island) didnt have the demand to support the airport. I know Louis CK raves about Islip for its low use fees, but that is in relation to filming and not actual "flying"

[hiss srq]

I am actually suprised that they trimmed back the MDW flying. I would have guessed that you would have seen a city like RSW dissapear before MDW. I guess the connecting traffic to the west and midwest was not sustaining yeilds and load factors.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

So the rumors are true. This came out of left field for me. ISP-MDW is a flagship route for WN's ISP operations. Very surprised to see this go.

On the other hand, ISP has been struggling with air service besides Southwest. US is the only legacy carrier there since Delta's pull out in 2008. Wouldn't mind seeing them come back. AA is in no position to restart ISP-ORD now either.

Now that I think about it. When WN started ISP-MDW they had no LGA service. Now Southwest flies LGA-MDW, which probably does better and the frequency is the same. Granted ISP and LGA are different markets but Southwest has the ability to pull their own customers from ISP to LGA now.

[Alex T]

So the rumors are true. This came out of left field for me. ISP-MDW is a flagship route for WN's ISP operations. Very surprised to see this go.

On the other hand, ISP has been struggling with air service besides Southwest. US is the only legacy carrier there since Delta's pull out in 2008. Wouldn't mind seeing them come back. AA is in no position to restart ISP-ORD now either.

Now that I think about it. When WN started ISP-MDW they had no LGA service. Now Southwest flies LGA-MDW, which probably does better and the frequency is the same. Granted ISP and LGA are different markets but Southwest has the ability to pull their own customers from ISP to LGA now.

What Rumors? It's been announced for almost over a month--

I mentioned it in this topic here..

http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads/41581-SWA-FL-announce-extended-schedule-New-Returning-Domestic-and-Intl-Routes-Cities

Alex

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

What Rumors? It's been announced for almost over a month--

I mentioned it in this topic here..

http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads/41581-SWA-FL-announce-extended-schedule-New-Returning-Domestic-and-Intl-Routes-Cities

Alex

This is the first I've heard of it. Considering I go to school on Long Island and major in Aviation Admin, I'm very surprised I haven't heard it sooner then