Southwest Airlines to add 65 flights, scrap 24 flights for summer

Southwest Airlines to add 65 flights, scrap 24 flights for summer schedule from May 9, 2010, to August 13, 2010

Southwest Airlines, the low-fare airline based in Dallas, Texas, the United States, has released its flight schedule for the period between May 9, 2010, and August 13, 2010.

The schedule for the summer travel season includes an addition of 65 roundtrip flights and elimination of 24 roundtrip flights – accounting for a net gain of 41 flights.

Southwest Airlines said it will cut flights between Orlando International Airport and 4 cities in the United States.

In a statement, Southwest Airlines explained that the changes to schedule have been planned to suit the demand as well as seasonal travel patterns.

The schedule for May 9, 2010-August 13, 2010, comprises flights to Panama City Beach, Florida, the United States (Southwest Airlines’ latest destination), and 9 new daily flights and a Saturday flight to and from Denver International Airport.

Southwest Airlines’ summer schedule starting May 9, 2010, includes non-stop flights between Denver International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York; Tulsa (Oklahoma); New Orleans (Louisiana); Sacramento (California); Oakland (California); Portland (Oregon); Tampa Bay (Florida); Baltimore-Washington International Airport; Spokane (Washington); and Seattle (Washington).

Southwest Airlines also said it will add 15 services to and from Denver International Airport by August 2010, the details of which will be announced later.

Gary Kelly, chief executive of Southwest Airlines, said in the statement that Denver “is continuing to respond exceptionally well” to the airline’s plans for growth and more services.

It may be noted that Southwest Airlines has focused on Denver International Airport for its expansion plans in recent years. When Southwest Airlines had placed a bid to buy Frontier Airlines, aviation analysts had remarked that Southwest Airlines wanted to buy Frontier Airlines in order to enlarge its gate presence at Denver International Airport. However, Republic Airways bought Frontier Airlines.

Recently, Southwest Airlines had bought 2 additional gates at Denver International Airport, resulting in the number of its gates at Denver rising from 10 to 12 on Concourse C.

Southwest Airlines, the third largest airline at Denver International Airport, had begun flying out of Denver in January 2006, with 13 daily non-stop flights to 3 cities. The airline has since grown fast in Denver.

An additional flight to and from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport to St Louis has been included in Southwest Airlines’ summer schedule starting May 9, 2010.

At present, Southwest Airlines serves 68 cities in 35 states in the United States, by operating over 3,100 flights daily. The airline employs about 35,000 people.