Southwest To Charlotte

[wwtraveler99]

I heard a rumor from a freind who heard it from his sister who heard it from her uncle who......no really I was talking to a friend of my who travels quite a bit out of Charlotte. He saw WN folks up there a couple of weeks ago. Then just a few days ago he saw some more WN folks looking at ticket counters and walking the airport. I know this does not mean WN will be there for sure but I think something is up.

I know all the anit-WN folks will say there are no gates, but if anyone can pull a rabbit, or gates, out of thier hat it is WN.

So my prediction is an announcement in May with service to begin in Sep/Oct '06.

If I am wrong I guess I eat crow and if I am right well then.......

you heard it here first.

Good day.

 

[nwa400]

Word......from a buddy wn pilot. Charlotte is next take over! Also, he says that Hawaii is next. Well, the real story that new hire classes are hearing........TARGET: Entire domestic system/5 yrs to Capt. Rule the WORLD. We shall see.

 

[TheDog2004]

Well it IS the last of the US Airways 'low lying fruit'. 😉

The question is, where to next? Southwest has grown almost exclusively at the expense of US Airways along the east coast.

 

[sfb]

The question is, where to next? Southwest has grown almost exclusively at the expense of US Airways along the east coast.

That's an easy one. They've got three options which they can pursue simultaneously.

(1) They can "connect the dots" between their new stations (PHL, PIT, and possibly CLT) and the rest of the system. For example, they still don't fly from PHL to ALB, BUF, ORF, BNA, AUS, SAT, STL, MCI, BHM, ABQ, SEA, SJC, SMF, SLC, etc. They're only going to serve four cities non-stop from PIT initially.

(2) They can beef up service on existing routes, especially if US ceases operations. You might see near-hourly service between PHL and MDW, for example, and they would likely add more flights on routes like PHL-Florida, PHL-PVD, PHL-MHT, PHL-RDU, etc.

(3) They can add one or two new stations per year to continue to flesh out the route system -- especially cities where US had a half-dozen or more mainline departures in the past. Places like GSO, CHS, ROC, SYR, RSW, DAY, MDT, PWM, or SAV would all likely support at least ten daily 737's.

 

[alberteross]

Well it IS the last of the US Airways 'low lying fruit'. 😉

The question is, where to next? Southwest has grown almost exclusively at the expense of US Airways along the east coast.

[post="261028"][/post]​

Alabama... because Bonner most likely to close shop soon.

 

[luver41]

Alabama... because Bonner most likely to close shop soon.

[post="261069"][/post]​

Last time I flew into Birmingham on Southwest it was still in Alabama.

 

[Harold]

I was told by an SWA service rep. at Midway that Charlotte is the most likely next new destination, possibly by this October, and whenever it happens that a Midway/Charlotte route would be a certainty.

 

[LD3]

WN reps met w/ airport admin back in Dec of 04, the initial problem is gates. There are only two gates available on A con that are controlled by the city, they are being used by Indi and Airtran. D con gates have been turned back to the city with US exclusive use, in fact US exp is moving commutors over to D due to the lack of space on E con. Herb K was in CLT a couple of monthes ago for a Homeland Security meeting, he made it quite clear that if U goes belly up, WN will move quickly to fill the void...

 

[ramper_in_las]

WN reps met w/ airport admin back in Dec of 04, the initial problem is gates. There are only two gates available on A con that are controlled by the city, they are being used by Indi and Airtran. D con gates have been turned back to the city with US exclusive use, in fact US exp is moving commutors over to D due to the lack of space on E con. Herb K was in CLT a couple of monthes ago for a Homeland Security meeting, he made it quite clear that if U goes belly up, WN will move quickly to fill the void...

[post="270328"][/post]​

the next scenario to play out first is the merger of US and HP. Then we shall see.

 

[Harold]

Now that Southwest has announced it will start up in Ft. Myers in October, does this change plans for Charlotte? In all of the previous replys to this topic, there has not been any mention of routes involving Detroit. Could there be now?

 

[MR AIRPORT]

Hey gang I hate to burst anyones bubble but there are no extra or open gates in CLT. There are on any given night 6-8 aircraft the have to be towed off the gate and put on the west hardstand. AA,CO,FL,UA,NW all have A/C parked off the gate every night. Unless US stops flying to the Latin American and island markets there are no gate available on D concourse which is used for international arrivals. Unless the city of Charlotte builds a new concourse in six months WN is not coming to CLT or for that matter any other time soon. Every one has said US won't be around next week, next month or next year. Well they are still here, and for some reason I don't think they are going away any time soon.

 

[xoxo]

Word......from a buddy wn pilot. Charlotte is next take over! Also, he says that Hawaii is next. Well, the real story that new hire classes are hearing........TARGET: Entire domestic system/5 yrs to Capt. Rule the WORLD. We shall see.

[post="260967"][/post]​

LOL...LOL....How do you think they are gonna get to Hawaii??? On a 737??? LOL...good one.

 

[wnbubbleboy]

LOL...LOL....How do you think they are gonna get to Hawaii??? On a 737??? LOL...good one.

[post="282009"][/post]​

We go there now via ATA codeshare.

 

[uafa21]

xoxo - Aloha makes the journey from the Islands to the West Coast via 737's.

 

[BoeingBoy]

From Aviation Daily:

"Southwest is not likely to introduce any more new markets this year, Kelly said. The carrier will be adding capacity at Pittsburgh later this year, based on strong demand. Expansion plans are "wide open" in 2006, and Charlotte is still high on Southwest's priority list, Kelly said. The America West/US Airways merger has not dampened Southwest's enthusiasm for Philadelphia expansion, he said."

Full article

Jim