February 6, 2007: Midwest Airlines will commence its first round-trip services from Kansas City International Airport to Seattle / Tacoma International Airport, starting April 1. The new service is part of the carrier's earlier announced long-term business plan that includes addition of at least six new destinations and 12 new routes this year.

The carrier intends to operate the non-stop flights using its new Boeing 717 as Midwest Airlines Signature Service. Midwest Airlines will also offer nonstop, round-trip service between Sea-Tac and Kansas City, with connections to Milwaukee. Seattle is the carrier's 49th destination in the US.

The flight will takeoff from Kansas City at 9.45 am daily and arrive in Seattle at 11.20 am, while the return flight will leave Seattle at noon and arrive at Kansas City at 5.21 pm.

"We will provide superior and competitively-priced customer service, with convenient schedules to the cities that are frequently visited by our customers. Our frequent flyers have been requesting Seattle/Tacoma service and we have responded," Midwest Air Group senior vice president and chief marketing officer Scott Dickson said.

The service will depart daily from Kansas City at 9.45 am and arrive at Seattle/Tacoma at 11.20 am, while the return flight will depart from Seattle/Tacoma at 12.00 pm and arrive at 5.21 pm at Kansas airport.

The only competition the airline faces is from Southwest Airlines that operates a non-stop service to Seattle. Southwest Airlines had commenced the service on February 5, 1999.

Midwest Airlines is a subsidiary of Midwest Air Group of Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The carrier is facing a hostile takeover bid from low-fare carrier AirTran Holdings of Orlando, Florida.

The airline's new Boeing 717 jet aircraft features two in a row leather seating, additional legroom and newly-designed Recaro seats with adjustable headrests and footrests.

Onboard service includes complimentary soft drinks, packaged snacks and baked-onboard chocolate chip cookies, apart from its buy-onboard best care cuisine available for purchase. DigEplayer portable inflight entertainment systems are offered for rent on longer flights.

Midwest had earlier launched a non-stop service between Milwaukee and Duluth International Airport in Minnesota, even as it increased it connections between Milwaukee and St Louis.

The flight departs daily from Seattle/Tacoma at 7.45 am and arrives in Milwaukee at 11.20 am, while the return flight will depart at 12 pm and arrives back in Seattle/Tacoma at 8.03 pm.

The company has also signed an agreement with its subsidiary, SkyWest Airlines to operate a 50-seat regional jet service between Milwaukee and Kansas City.

Midwest Airlines has services throughout US, while its subsidiary Skyway Airlines operates as Midwest Connect, offering connections to

Midwest Airlines and point-to-point service between select markets on regional jet and turboprop aircraft.