More New Flights

The new terminal at DTW is (finally) opening on September 18th. SWA is expanding from 4 to 5 gates, but there hasn't been any announcements of new service. Rumor is that there will be a "getting organised period" this Fall, with new flights starting in March/09, possibly LAS, DEN, or PHL. Comments, opinions, anyone?
 
The new terminal at DTW is (finally) opening on September 18th. SWA is expanding from 4 to 5 gates,

I think you may have that backwards. According to a recent article in the Detroit News, Southwest is shrinking at DTW from 4 gates to 3.

Room to grow at Metro Airport: New terminal feeling empty
Airline industry's massive cuts will leave 6 of 24 gates unleased when addition opens Sept. 17.


Airlines downsizing

Most of the airlines moving to the North Terminal from the Smith and Berry terminals in September will have fewer gates:

• Spirit Airlines is cutting its presence from six gates at the Smith to two at the new terminal. It also will use one shared gate for its international flights.

• US Airways will lease three gates at the North Terminal, down from five at Smith.

• American Airlines is shrinking from six gates to two.

• Southwest Airlines is shedding one gate, from four to three.

• United Airlines, which also handles gate and ground operations for Air Canada in Detroit, is going from three gates to two.

• AirTran Airways is dropping from two gates to one.
 
I think you may have that backwards. According to a recent article in the Detroit News, Southwest is shrinking at DTW from 4 gates to 3.


With 19 daily (weekday) flights--per the Aug 24 printed timetable--3 gates will be fine, with room for even a few more flights. Here at TUS WN handles 20 weekday flight--down from 21 pre-May--with 3 gates with no problem.
 
My apologies for posting incorrect information. Southwest will use gates D20, D21, D23 in the new terminal, but (adjacent) gates D18, and D19 are vacant. No doubt DTW would lease them in a heartbeat if SWA wanted to expand their Detroit schedule. Several reasons including the very soft economy in Michigan is holding SWA to 3 gates at DTW. Currently there are 19 daily SWA departures from DTW. What would be the maximum number of departures that SWA could have from 3 gates in a day? What new non-stop service would make the most sense for SWA to/from DTW? CLE, FLL, LAS, PHL, PIT, PRV, or TPA?