Southwest To Enter Fort Myers

[jimmyd]

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle....eid=3704&z=3&p=

 

[corl737]

Service starts to Ft. Myers? Of course! The airport is even named for them:

Southwest Florida International Airport!


Southwest Airlines has shown that it is primarily concerned about building its own business. Many airline industry analysts thought SWA would attack USAirways head on at Charlotte in order to deal a final death blow. That's not the SWA model, however. The goal is to make SWA succeed by climbing above the competition, not by bringing others down. It isn't the predatory animal that some other aairline management tends to be.

-- C

 

[WNrforlife]

Just as we have taken over the California market, we will soon take over the entire eastern seaboard.

This is just the beginning!!!!

 

[ngneer]

I don't know if I'd put much stock in this article. It says, "The Dallas-based airline announced last month that it is adding Pittsburgh International Airport as a stop." That tells me that this is either an old article or the person who wrote it doesn't know much.

 

[BoeingBoy]

This should settle the issue:

Southwest Airlines to Serve Fort Myers, Florida!
Monday June 27, 11:30 am ET
Airline Adds Sixth Florida City to Its Route Map

DALLAS, June 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines, the low-fare leader, solidified its Florida presence today by announcing service to Fort Myers, Fla., from Southwest Florida International Airport beginning in October 2005. Fort Myers will be Southwest's sixth Florida city. Fares and flight schedules will be announced next month.

SWA Press Release

Jim

 

[corl737]

Ah ha! Now the logic behind SWA's installing life vests is apparent. While it made sense to give pilots the flexibility to alter their routes seaward when deviating around Florida's ever-present summer storms, the fuel savings attained by cutting over the Gulf of Mexico to Fort Myers will be more than enough to offset the expense of the vests.

It will be interesting to see what the initial markets will be. Any guesses? Possibilities I'm thinking of are:

LAS (of course)
HOU (makes good use of the new overwater capability and is a great connecting spot)
BWI (first city-pair head-to-head with AirTran. This will be fun!)
ISP (I still don't get it ... coffee "regular" should mean "black!")
MDW (depending on how the ATA codeshare service from MDW is going. May not be an immediate route)
PVD or MHT (gotta get those northeasterners out of the snow!)
DAL (... pending Wright Amendment repeal!)

I also liked how subtle the airport was in expecting SWA to start serving there after the new midfield terminal was completed. In the artists conception drawings they put SWA-colored tails on many of the airplanes at the gates!

-- C

 

[markkus757]

I'd add IND, PIT and BDL as very good possibilities too. I'm looking for 1-2 frequencies to many destinations versus 3-4 to fewer with the high level of seasonal traffic RSW produces during the year...

 

[jimmyd]

With 82% of RSW's O&D passenger traffic in markets East of the Mississippi, I think the initial nonstop markets will be geared toward the East. My guess for RSW service is a total of 10 daily departures to the following 5 destinations:

(1) Chicago Midway, largest RSW O&D market
(2) Philadelphia, 7th largest RSW O&D market
(3) Baltimore, BWI alone is the 14th largest, combined WAS/BWI is RSW's 5th largest market

(4) Islip, Spirit served previously and produced significant traffic stimulation
(5) Orlando, on the surface, this market does not stand out, but operationally Orlando makes sense and you can certainly connect to many destinations beyond

 

[USAir757]

MSY???

 

[AirplaneFan]

With 82% of RSW's O&D passenger traffic in markets East of the Mississippi, I think the initial nonstop markets will be geared toward the East. My guess for RSW service is a total of 10 daily departures to the following 5 destinations:

(1) Chicago Midway, largest RSW O&D market
(2) Philadelphia, 7th largest RSW O&D market
(3) Baltimore, BWI alone is the 14th largest, combined WAS/BWI is RSW's 5th largest market

(4) Islip, Spirit served previously and produced significant traffic stimulation
(5) Orlando, on the surface, this market does not stand out, but operationally Orlando makes sense and you can certainly connect to many destinations beyond

[post="279139"][/post]​

This is by far the best answer. Some people are just wildly guessing destinations without using any knowledge of what SW has done in the past. BWI has been in every initial destination except for the PA cities (too close).

 

[mrman]

MSY???

[post="279143"][/post]​

US, I think you might have something. DAL customers doing the Texas Two Step connect in MSY for FLA flights

 

[markkus757]

I don't think LAS or PHX will be a destination for RSW. First off, there is very little O&D to either destination. Second, it would not make that much sense connection-wise either because it would alienate the midwest connections. HOU would be the best place for connecting traffic to consolidate. I would add MDW, PHL, BWI, ISP as the primaries. I could also see justification for single frequencies to PVD, PIT, IND.

 

[Harold]

I heard a rumor nearly 2 years ago about SWA going to Ft. Myers, and the holdup was that the the landing fees were too expensive. Maybe a compromise was reached. The rest of that rumor had increasing service to Ft. Lauderdale and eventually closing down West Palm. Is there any possibility that West Palm might be closed?

 

[swflyer]

I heard a rumor nearly 2 years ago about SWA going to Ft. Myers, and the holdup was that the the landing fees were too expensive. Maybe a compromise was reached. The rest of that rumor had increasing service to Ft. Lauderdale and eventually closing down West Palm. Is there any possibility that West Palm might be closed?

[post="281476"][/post]​

No.

 

[jimntx]

Why are you all guessing which cities will get the business? The article states quite clearly that SWA will "serve Ft. Myers from Southwest Florida International Airport." Talk about your short hop flying! Take off from the airport and fly downtown. Even though Ft. Myers has grown a lot over the past few years, from the airport to downtown just ain't that far.

And, before you all get your knickers in a twist, I know that it is just bad writing by the reporter.