Southwest Keen On Charlotte But Won't Give A Time

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www.news14.com


Southwest might consider Charlotte
3/22/2005 7:10 PM
By: Mercer Merrill, News 14 Carolina
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The CEO of Southwest Airlines, visiting Charlotte on Tuesday, said his company is “focusing†on the city.

Herb Kelleher attended the meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, and he talked with reporters afterward.

"I can't make any promises, but I can tell you that we really are focusing on Charlotte,†Kelleher said. “Charlotte looms very large in terms of being a valuable service point. But on the other hand, with the industry going the way that it is, different and sometimes fairly unusual opportunities are cropping up every day."


Southwest is widely considered to be the gold standard of low-cost airlines, profiting every quarter for the last 10 years.
Southwest Airlines is one of the very few airlines in the country that is making a measurable profit. It is widely considered to be the gold standard of low-cost airlines, profiting every quarter for the last 10 years.

If Southwest were to come to Charlotte, it could mean trouble for bankrupt US Airways.

Peter Schwarz, an economist from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, said Southwest is going after US Airways because US Airways is vulnerable.


Southwest CEO Herb Kelleher, right, serves with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory on the Homeland Security Advisory Council.
“US Airways is saying that when they come back from bankruptcy, they’re going to be just like Southwest,†Schwarz said. “But you can’t just clone Southwest. Other airlines have tried to do that.â€

A US Airways spokesman said Tuesday that low-cost competition in other cities is “why our company is transforming itself into a low-cost company.â€

Kelleher serves with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory on the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Web Journalist: Kyle Almond



Copyright © 2005 TWEAN d.b.a. News 14 Carolina

 

[coolflyingfool]

I don't think that CLT has more than 2 open gates. I would belive that SWA would probably want 3 to 4 gates, together. When I passed through PHL, I heard the passengers whining about having to change concourses. There is far more O&D traffic in CLT than in PIT and SWA took 2 gates in PIT. Just my thoughts.........

 

[BoeingBoy]

This from the CLT paper....

Southwest Airlines is focused on starting service in Charlotte, Chairman Herb Kelleher said Tuesday -- but he wouldn't be nailed down on a time frame.

"We recognize that Charlotte is a very desirable city to serve," Kelleher said during a visit. "I can't make any immediate promises, but certainly I can tell you our focus is on Charlotte."

If US Airways were to fold, however, Southwest would likely move quickly, Kelleher said, to fill the void left by the airline at its busiest hub.

Southwest flying into town? (free subscription)

Jim

 

[airport]

Did US affirm all of their gate leases in CLT during the BK process, or are some of the gates subject to being given to WN and others by the airport authority?

 

[jimntx]

I don't think that CLT has more than 2 open gates. I would belive that SWA would probably want 3 to 4 gates, together. When I passed through PHL, I heard the passengers whining about having to change concourses. There is far more O&D traffic in CLT than in PIT and SWA took 2 gates in PIT. Just my thoughts.........

[post="257914"][/post]​

If SWA came to the city of Charlotte and said that they wanted to start non-stop service from CLT to multiple cities, but that they needed 5 gates to do it, I'm willing to bet that the city (or airport authority) would be at the bankruptcy court in a flash asking that some of U's leases be terminated for the good of the traveling public. And the 5 gates that the public needed would just (coincidentally) be next to each other and just inside the security checkpoint.

 

[justaumechanic]

Southwest will have plenty of gates to choose from in a few months..

Don't doubt for one Min. that the City of CLT would figure out a way to
get Southwest into CLT.. Even if it meant taking US Airways gates away.

Keep in mind US Airways famous saying to everyone.. "Hey we are in CH 11, take
us to court"..

Don't think that the city of CLT wouldn't say the same thing. "Take us to court".

LUV is CLT.. Thats the final nail.. Slam dunk..

 

[BoeingBoy]

B/C concourse are all leased by US. As BK1 proved with the PIT leases, nothing is certain with gate leases until US emerges from BK2 though there have been no indications yet that any CLT gates will be rejected (short of Ch 7).

D concourse (international) is mostly "common use", I believe, though US does lease a couple or three gates there.

A concourse is mostly leased by carriers other than US, though there may be one or two common use gates there.

Finally, E concourse (express) is at least partly common use but WN would probably have no interest in gates there.

Jim

 

[justaumechanic]

You missed the point..

If the city of CLT was smart they would take a chance and just kick
US Airways out of some of their under utilized gates in the B wing..

 

[Hope777]

I don't remeber if it was March 1st or 4th, but as we were taxiing to the Gate, A nice CLEAN SWA B737 Taxied right by us heading out to the Runway in CLT.

 

[ClueByFour]

There is far more O&D traffic in CLT than in PIT and SWA took 2 gates in PIT. Just my thoughts.........

[post="257914"][/post]​

Actually, that's not true. PIT has more O&D traffic than CLT, according to DOT numbers. LUV will do just fine if they snag 2 or 3 gates in CLT, and Orr will build more (despite the fact he'll be kicking and screaming the whole time) because the feds will slap him (and his funding) around if he fails to do so.

 

[WNrforlife]

Here we grow again!!!!

 

[jB-Rocks]

See Story

"The chairman of discounter Southwest Airlines said the carrier may start flying to Charlotte, N.C., sometime in the future, the Charlotte Observer reports. Herb Kelleher called Charlotte "very desirable" and noted that Southwest would quickly start flying to the city if US Airways goes out of business." The Charlotte Observer (N.C.) (free registration) (3/23)

 

[speedbird86]

Based on that statement they'll go to CLT when and if US goes under.

 

[speedbird86]

One other thought. Won't that be a grand thing for the Greater Charlotte area. Instead of five or six hundred flights a day, they'll have ten or twelve Southwest flights a day plus a hand full of others.

 

[mrman]

One other thought. Won't that be a grand thing for the Greater Charlotte area. Instead of five or six hundred flights a day, they'll have ten or twelve Southwest flights a day plus a hand full of others.

[post="258017"][/post]​

Need to look at RDU and Nashville when AA pulled out. They now have more flights, more competition, and lower fares than they did as a hub