International Flying?

[AirwAr]

USA Today in the Sky: Southwest sent executives to an international conference on route development, a move Travel Weekly says shows "how seriously the carrier is taking its plans to begin offering international service." Southwest has said it hopes to start offering international service next year through codeshare partner ATA, which currently offers international service to the Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Cancun. Southwest and ATA officials have also previously mentioned the possibility of adding flights to Canada and the Caribbean that could be sold under the Southwest/ATA partnership. Brook Sorem, Southwest's schedule planning chief, tells Travel Weekly that after Southwest tests international codesharing with ATA, it could look to other carriers, including partners that could offer flights to Europe and Asia. That, however, would not likely happen until 2010 or later, officials say
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I've always thought that SW would use codesharing to get it's feet wet, but then begin its own service. However, in all the articles I read about international flying, SW only talks codesharing on other carriers.

 

[jimntx]

Other than flying to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada, flying elsewhere by SWA would require other types of a/c than the 737--a business move that has been anathema to SWA up until now.

I am a great admirer of SWA. What they do, they do very well and wildly successfully. However, it seems to me that the customer who might be attracted to flying on SWA/ATA to vacation destinations (I have flown on this airline domestically) is more likely to buy a package deal from one of the vacation charter companies that uses USA3000, Ryan Airlines, Champions. Booking airfare AND hotel AND rental car/transportation to/from airport/etc. separately does not appeal to this segment of the traveling public.

ATA's a/c are not comfortable. I was seated in the exit row, and had very little legroom. According to the f/as, their 737 seated something like 197 passengers. At AA we fly the same model 737. We seat 148 people on the same a/c. In fact, our 757 only seats 188.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

Just because one attends a trade show only indicates interest in a product.

WN probably attends most airline trade shows.

I've often thought how wise it would be for WN to hookup a international codeshare. The secondary airport locations could be an issue. How about BWI though? FI could be a candidate.

Ryanair would be the one to watch as they are aggressively pursuing long-haul international flights. Interesting too because Ryanair admits WN is their model.

 

[AirwAr]

Well now I just found another article about the conference:

From the article:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/

(....Bob Jordan, Southwest's executive vice president for strategy, procurement and technology, adds that Southwest-operated flights on international routes are "in the pipeline of things we're interested in," though he added "that's way out in the future for us.")

 

[mga707]

ATA's a/c are not comfortable. I was seated in the exit row, and had very little legroom. According to the f/as, their 737 seated something like 197 passengers. At AA we fly the same model 737. We seat 148 people on the same a/c. In fact, our 757 only seats 188.

There are "only" 😉 175 seats in ATA's 737-800s. The 197 seats are what one finds in ATA's 757-200s.
197 seats might be possible in a 737-900 (but certainbly not comfy!), but not in an -800.
I flew an ATA- 800 last year in a WN codeshare MDW-DCA, and while it was certainly much tighter than the WN 737-700 I had just flown into MDW, it actually seemed a bit roomier than the ATA 757s I was on a few years ago PHX-OGG and return. Of course, that was a much longer flight.

 

[Alice Cramden]

I think SWA has a great business model. However, the economy has changed globally. I think DAL has seen the writing on the wall and expanding internationally. (much to my surprise) We are now living in a global economy, thanks to technology and air transportation.

Third world is rising and the US economy is hanging in, but feeling like a depreciation. If SWA or any other relatively domestic airline doesn't "connect" to global destinations, they will be "left behind" or for sale or in bankruptcy. JMO

 

[ngneer]

Ryanair would be the one to watch as they are aggressively pursuing long-haul international flights. Interesting too because Ryanair admits WN is their model.

Yes indeed. Ryanair is in discussion with ISP about starting international service there, partly due to possible connections on WN. I believe Ryanair is also investigating BWI, MHT and PVD.

Islip eyes smilin' over international flight plans

 

[jimntx]

Are any of these airports currently equipped for International flights? You know, the "block off" corridors so that you can assure that the passengers go to Customs & Immigration and not get loose in the terminal? For that matter, are there C&I facilities in these airports?

There is a LOT of money that has to be spent to "internationalize" an airport terminal. Who pays for that? And, predominantly on speculation. No one has yet proved that International passengers are willing to be crowded in and given minimum service. It has been tried time and time again. Hasn't succeeded yet.

Flying from DAL to STL on a glass of Coke and a bag of peanuts is one thing. Flying from Europe to the U.S. with the same service is another thing entirely. And, though I have never flown the airline, from what I read the comfort level on Ryanair is more like ATA rather than SWA. No food and no legroom for 8 hours or more? Not me. Not in this lifetime.

 

[ngneer]

Well, if it's just flights to Ireland, passengers can be pre-cleared in Ireland. From Wikipedia:

The United States maintains border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. Operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service, travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections before boarding their aircraft, ship or train. This process is intended to streamline border procedures, to reduce congestion at ports of entry, and to facilitate travel between the preclearance location and some U.S. airports that may not equipped to handle international travellers.

Preclearance exists at most major Canadian airports, providing convenience to travellers from those cities to the U.S. Arrangements also exist with some airports in Bermuda, Bahamas, Aruba and 2 airports in Ireland.

When Ryanair first announced they were looking into flying across the pond, they said that they would create a new airline just for this purpose that would be separate from Ryanair. Here's a link to an article about it from last April in The Times of London. So this isn't going to happen anytime soon and it's unknown what type of aircraft they have in mind. Here's an article from the Irish Voice which downplays all of this. My guess is that it will happen 2 or 3 years down the road.

 

[Fubijaakr]

When SWA thinks "international" you can pretty much bet its thinking Mexico, Caribbean, Canada. Its a long haul to Europe in a 737.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

And, though I have never flown the airline, from what I read the comfort level on Ryanair is more like ATA rather than SWA. No food and no legroom for 8 hours or more? Not me. Not in this lifetime.

Don't insult ATA by comparing it to Ryanair.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

When SWA thinks "international" you can pretty much bet its thinking Mexico, Caribbean, Canada. Its a long haul to Europe in a 737.

That's what I think also. Perhaps first a code-share with Westjet since they already fly to the USA.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

If WN ever did want to add a second aircraft type the 787 would be a smart move.

 

[formeraa]

I flew ATA to HNL last year and was very pleased. In particular, the plane was VERY clean (really spotless) and the FA's were pleasant and genuinely happy to do their jobs. My only complaint was that they should really offer a decent buy-on-board on a 6:45 flight. Maybe they could get a caterer to sponsor the B-O-B like US Airways does.

 

[mga707]

I flew ATA to HNL last year and was very pleased. In particular, the plane was VERY clean (really spotless) and the FA's were pleasant and genuinely happy to do their jobs. My only complaint was that they should really offer a decent buy-on-board on a 6:45 flight. Maybe they could get a caterer to sponsor the B-O-B like US Airways does.

I've had no problems with the ATA flights I've taken, either. The only difference that's really noticeable, especially on a WN/ATA codeshare, is the seat pitch, or lack thereof, especially after coming off of the relatively generous pitch of a WN 73G (737-700).
But since ATA is soon to drop DCA and LGA, MDW-DFW will soon be the only non-Hawai'i codeshare offered by WN.